UC-NRLF 


B    3 


fi37 


GIFT  OF 

Charles  A.    Koi'oid 


THE 


PRISON  OF  WELTEVREDEN; 


AND  A  GLANCE 


BAST    INDIAN    ARCHIPELAGO 


WALTER  M.  GIBSON. 


ILLUSTRATED  PROM  ORIGINAL  SKETCHES 


r 

NEW  YORK: 
J.    C.    RIKER,    129     FULTON     STREET, 


1855. 


v    ft 


Entered  acc<m]ii£  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1S55, 
(T          ,  •.•"    •  ;."•  5v5VALTER  M.  GIBSON, 
In  the'cierk's  Office  of  t hfi  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for  the 
*•;*•/!'          ItJoulhcrn  District  of  New  York. 


f  rman  of 


ONSECRATED  to 

the  elevation  of  the  na 
tive  races  of  the  East 
Indian  Archipelago,  in 
religious  truth,  in  morals 
and  social  virtues;  and 
to  the  mitigation  of  the 
selfishness  and  asperity 
of  European  dominion 
in  the  East;  through  the  development  of  a  closer 
sympathy  between  Western  Intelligence  and  Eastern 
Imagination ;  under  the  fostering  influence  of  the 
faith  and  enthusiasm  of  woman, — of  the  WOMEN  OF 
CHRISTENDOM,  to  whom  this  work  is  earnestly  in 
scribed  bv  the 

AUTHOR. 


M1B119Q 


GE.NEBAL   VIEW 

OF  THE  SCOPE,  TREATMENT,  AND  AIM  OF  THIS  WORK. 

n  its 


IT  embraces  some  mention  of  early  influences,  which  led 
the  author  to  adventure  in  the  East  ;  his  voyage  thither 
in  his  own  vessel,  visiting  many  small  islands  but  little 
known,  in  the  South  Atlantic,  and  Indian  Oceans  ;  his  arri 
val  in  the  Malayan  Archipelago,  and  sojourn  in  the  interior 
of  Sumatra  ;  where  he  saw  apparent  evidences  of  semi- 
human  beings,  and  became  acquainted  with  princes  and 
nobles  of  the  island,  and  their  families  ;  visiting  them  at 
their  homes,  partaking  of  their  hospitality,  studying  their 
literature,  and  observing  their  religion,  laws,  customs  and 
social  habits  ;  —  as  peculiar  to  the  Malay  race,  and  as  affect 
ed  by  European  influences  ;  and  forming  intimate  friendly 
relations,  which  were  interrupted  by  the  jealousy  of 
Dutch  officials  ;  causing  his  arrest,  the  seizure  of  his  ves 
sel,  and  his  confinement  for  fifteen  months  in  the  prison  of 
Weltevreden,  in  the  Island  of  Java  ;  where  he  underwent 


GENERAL    VIEW. 


a  most  extraordinary  and  oppressive  prosecution  at  the 
hands  of  the  government  of  Netherland  India  ;  and  at  the 
same  time,  meeting  within  his  prison  cell,  a  most  novel  and 
interesting  experience  of  Malay  and  Javanese  character  ; 
finding  teachers  of  all  that  he  wished  to  learn  of  these 
isles,  and  docile  pupils  to  listen  to  all  that  he  wished  to 
impart ;  finding  many  evidences  of  a  refined  and  tasteful 
civilization,  of  a  happy  disposition  to  receive  the  truths 
of  a  more  convincing  creed  than  their  own,  and  a  sim 
plicity  of  character,  and  a  heroism  of  devotion, — in  many 
instances  bordering  upon  the  regions  of  romance  ;  which 
brightened  many  prison  hours,  and  finally  enabled  him, 
when  his  life  was  in  danger,  to  effect  his  escape. 

In  %  ® ratet 

truth  has  been  adhered  to,  but  not  in  the  naked 
form  of  daily  occurrence.  Events  of  like  character 
are  grouped  together ;  and  only  those  are  introduced, 
which  illustrate  some  point  of  view  in  the  Glance  that  is 
presented.  The  romantic  beauty  and  poetic  life  of  Indian 
isles  is  arrayed  in  the  vesture  of  Eastern  story  ;  whilst  the 
graver  facts  of  the  country's  resources,  and  of  European 
influence  and  dominion,  are  set  forth  in  more  sober  garb. 
Some  names  have  been  changed,  of  persons  who  still  live  in 
the  presence  of  a  power,  that  might  look  with  disfavor  on 
the  parts  they  enacted,  as  set  forth  in  these  pages ;  and 
many  things  of  deep  interest  have  been  suppressed,  to 
screen  those  who  are  thus  exposed  : — and  thus  some  other 


GENERAL    VIEW.  Vii 

licenses  taken  ;  but  otherwise,  facts  alone  are  presented, 
and  all  are  but  a  small  portion  of  what  might  be  said 
about  isles  and  races  so  little  known  to  this  western 
world  ; — about  weak  and  worthless  princes,  and  simple, 
heroic  women  ;  about  climes  of  perpetual  spring,  lands 
of  unfading  verdure,  rocks  seamed  with  gold,  groves'filled 
with  spices,  and  an  unsurpassed  beauty  and  bounty  of 
nature  ;  every  where  surrounded  by  miasma,  by  cruel 
things  in  the  water,  on  the  earth,  in  the  forest,  in  the 
air  ;  and  in  the  shape  of  European  civilization,  enlight 
enment,  religion  and  dominion. 

®ft*  Jlim 

is  to  open  up  new  regions  of  thought  and  feeling,  and  in 
presenting  real  pictures  of  oriental  character,  to  point  out 
new  avenues  to  the  oriental  mind  ;  to  show  forth  child 
like  races  claiming  by  their  simplicity,  docility,  obedience 
and  truthfulness,  the  highest  paternal  care  of  a  superior 
civilization  ;  to  show  how  this  has  been  wielded  to  grat 
ify  selfish  ends  alone, — producing  a  harvest  of  vice  and  hate; 
and  to  show  the  effects  of  another  policy, — studying  the 
simple  character,  meeting  it  with  congenial  sympathy, 
wishing  to  serve  rather  than  to  be  served,  teaching  with 
patience  and  some  fraternal  regard ;  and  receiving  in  ex 
change,  a  childlike  love  and  devotion  :  to  show  that  this 
result  might  be  universal  throughout  the  beautiful  islands 
of  the  Indian  Ocean,  among  their  simple  and  numerous 
races  ;  who  by  their  numbers,  by  the  defences  that  the  Ore- 


viii 


<:r.\r.u  u.   vn:\v 


ator  has  set  up  around  them,  by  the  deadly  barriers  that 
s  i\e  them  from  any  permanent  Caucasian  intermixture, 
must  ever  be  the  sjle  producers  of  the  chief  Eastern  treasures 
f"i-  which  the  selfish  world  has  contended  ;  and  demand  that 
attention  from  self-interest,  which  ought  to  spring  from  an 
enlightened,  Christian  philanthropy. 


CONTENTS. 


GENERAL  VIEW  of  the  Scope,  Treatment,  and  Aim  of  this  Work. 

PROLOGETIC.  Description  of  Prison  of  Weltevreden— Prisoner's  hopes  of  Release— Order 
of  Ke-arrest— Lonely  Lady  Musing  at  Sea— Revery  broken  by  Wreck  on  Brewer's 
Shoals— A  Clipper-Ship  in  Sunda  Straits— Escaped  Prisoner  on  Board— A  Chase- 
Meeting  of  Prisoner  and  the  Lady— Coincidence  of  Reveries— Brower  the  Sheriff,  and 
Brewer's  Shoals— The  Palmer  at  Sea— Her  Cabin  Passengers— The  Elder  and  Younger 
Missionaries,  and  their  Wives— The  Lady  of  the  Eevery— A  Stout  Man-of-War  Boat 
swain,  of  whoso  great  strength  a  talo  is  told— Curiosity  of  Passengers  to  hear  the  Story 
of  the  Escaped  Prisoner, 1 

THIRD  DAY  of  Homeward  Voyage  of  Palmer  from  Java — The  Escaped  Prisoner  begins  a 
Narration — About  Early  Influences — An  Adventurous  Uncle — Many  years  in  the  East 
Indian  Archipelago— Wonderful  stories  about  Sumatra,  filling  a  boy's  mind  with  longings 
to  see  the  famous  island, 18 

FOURTH  DAY.  An  Old  Teacher— His  stories  of  the  Indian  Isles— Wanderings  in  South 
Carolina — Romantic  Scenery  favoring  reveries  of  the  East — Early  Marriage — Death, 
cause  of  further  wandering, 23 

FIFTH  DAY.  A  Log  Cabin  home  in  Georgia— The  Silver  Mine— Going  in  quest  of  means 
to  work  it— Journeyings  in  Mexico,  on  the  heels  of  Scott's  Conquering  Army— See 
from  Acapulco  the  Pathway  to  the  Eastern  Isles — Spanish  American  Connection — 
Inducements  to  fit  out  a  Small  Clipper  Vessel  for  a  Central  American  Navy— Purchase 
of  the  Flirt — Expedition  to  Central  America  cannot  be  carried  out — Vessel  on  hand — 
Now  will  sail  for  the  East,  and  realize  early  longings — Departure  from  Block  Island — 
Comments  of  Boatswain  on  board  Palmer, 27 

SIXTH  DAY.  The  Flirt  bound  for  Bahia— Her  Owner,  Master,  Crew,  Cargo,  and  Arma 
ment — Mutiny  on  Board — A  Rioter  in  Irons — Continued  dissatisfaction  with  Master — 
The  Owner  takes  charge— Put  into  Porto  Praya  to  settle  grievances— Master  leaves  the 
Vessel— Governor  of  Porto  Praya— Conversations  about  Portuguese  Dominion— Tho 
Invalid  Daughter— Departure  of  Flirt, 86 

SEVENTH  DAY.  Sabbath  on  board  the  Palmer— A  Sermon  from  the  younger  Mis 
sionary,  ....  45 


O  N  T  E  N  T  8  . 


EIGHTH  DAY.  The  Trade  Winds— Paradise  of  tlio  Sea— A  Sail— A  Chase— French  brig 
overhauled— Alarm  at  tho  war-trim  of  Flirt— Relief  on  finding  her  M>  harm!e» 
Liberality  of  French  Commander  to  .supply  some  needs— His  Romantic  Character— Pro- 
P<»a;>  <>r  ii  partnership  of  adventure— Discourse  of  two  Commanders  suddenly  inter 
rupted  by  quarrel  between  the  two  crews— A  Risinjj  Wind— Quick  retreat  on  board  the 
••oner — Parting  Salutes, 4C 

NINTH  DAY.  Tho  Coast  of  Brazil— A  Slaver  on  Fire— Put  into  Maccio— Combat  on 
board  Flirt— Bloodshed— Brazilian  authorities  seeking  pretence  to  confiscate  the 
Schooner — Crew  Interrogated — Vessel  Detained — Arrival  of  British  war  steamer  Con 
flict — Her  Commander  interferes — No  American  at  tho  place — Cowardice  of  Brazilians — 
Triumphant  release  and  departure  of  Flirt— Leave  Master  and  wounded  Mate— The 
Owner  takes  command, 54 

TENTH  DAY.    Arrival  at  Pernambuco — Glance  at  Brazil— Departure  to  relieve  a  wrecked 

»ff  Capo  St.  Roque— Afterwards  head  for  the  East— Stop  at  Tristan  d'Acunha— 

some  account  of  that  remarkable  little  Island — Governor  Glass,  and  its  llobinson  Crusoe 

population, 59 

ELEVENTH  DAY.  Island  of  St.  Paul's— Remarkable  natural  Minaret— Its  Solitary 
Settler— A  French  Chevalier — The  Cocos  group — Governor  Ross — First  Sight  of  Su 
matra — The  Aromatic  Breezes — A  glance  at  the  Archipelago,  on  tho  way  to  Singapore — 
A  Storm — Obliged  to  cast  anchor  on  tho  coast  of  tho  Island  of  Banca — Discover  Minto 
in  sight  next  morning — Go  ashore  to  got  some  fresh  provisions,  ....  67 

TWELFTH  DAY.  Meet  with  a  friendly,  hospitable  Port-master— Inducements  to  stay 
some  time  at  Mlnto — Interview  with  Governor  or  Resident  of  tho  Island — An  offensive 
display  of  antl- American  feeling— Pleasant  welcome  at  house  of  Port-master—Creole 
Ladies — Pantomime — A  midnight  encounter — A  Belgian  Deserter  wishes  to  join  tho 
Flirt  with  a  dozen  followers, 73 

Till  UTKKNTH  DAY.  Other  Hospitalities— Surgeon  of  tho  Fort  gives  an  account  of  the 
Island — Tin  Mines,  and  Chinese — Arrival  of  a  Transport  Ship — A  Barque  from  Bali  going 
to  Palembang  in  Sumatra — Inducements  to  go  In  company  with  her — A  Malay  Servant 
—A  Spy  put  on  board  Flirt— Hospitable  Chinese  ship  Chandler— Curious  circumstances 
attending  departure  from  Minto, 82 

FOURTEENTH  DAY.    Sabbath  on  board  the  Palmer, 92 

FIFTEENTH  DAY.  Misgivings  of  Commander  about  proceeding  into  the  interior  of 
Sumatra— Resolves  to  leave  the  Bali  Barque— Out  of  sight— A  Storm— Obliged  to  cast 
Anchor — Storm  clears  away — Riding  close  alongside  of  Barque — Fate  decides  to  g«>— 
Visit  of  Balinese  Commander— An  interesting  Story,  illustrating  Piracy  in  the  Ea-t 
Indian  Archipelago — Comments  about  Maritime  Police  of  English  and  Dutch — Rajah 
Brooke  traduced  and  vindicated — Boatswain  on  board  Palmer  tells  some  of  his  ex 
perience  with  Pirates — Yankee  invention  in  war, 93 

>1  \  I  I". i:\TH  DAY.  The  Soonsang  River— Gorgeous  Scenery— Visit  of  a  Malay  Chief 
tain — Comments  on  Malay  Character, ](& 

S  :VKNTKKNTH  DAY.  A  Boat  Expedition— A  Cavernod  Creek— Leaping  Leivhes. 
and  fierce  Insects,  defenders  of  tho  Soil  of  Sumatra — A  glimpse  of  wild,  hairy,  human- 
shaped  beings— Comments  of  a  Dutch  Officer  about  GutU  Percha,  Coal,  and  Orang 
Kubn,  ...  Ill 


CONTENTS.  XI 


EIGHTEENTH  DAY.  Arrival  at  Palembang— Its  Floating  Houses— Dutch  Authorities 
— Visit  on  board  Flirt  from  Scherrif  Ali,  an  Arab  Panyorang,  or  prince — Reminiscences 
at  Palembang  of  Sir  Stamford  Raffles— Abdallah,  a  grandson  of  the  Panyorang,  wishes 
to  join  the  Flirt — Comments  upon  Malay  Character  and  Dutch  Policy  in  the  Archi 
pelago,  .  .  124 

N INETEENTII  DAY.  Dinner  with  the  Eesident  of  Palembang— Insulting  anti-American 
feeling  of  a  Naval  Commander— Mortgage  of  Washington,  and  sale  of  Dutch  Treasures 
of  Art— Returning  from  the  Fort  of  Palembang— Way  lost  in  the  dark— An  Encounter- 
Brutal  treatment  of  Malay  girls  by  Dutch  Officers — Authorized  Concubinage  of  Army  of 
Netherland  India— A  Carousal— Happy  escape  of  the  Girls— Visit  on  board  Flirt— Some 
account  of  Topography  of  Territory  of  Palembang, 135 

TWENTIETH  DAY.  Visit  to  a  Malay  Improvisatrice— An  interesting  young  Girl— An 
Improvised  Song  in  the  style  of  the  pantuns,  or  proverbial  verses  of  the  Malays— Al 
lusions  to  Alexander  the  Great— Visit  to  a  Chinaman,  friend  of  the  ship  Chandler  of 
Minto— A  Floating  House— Public  Bathers— One  seized  by  an  Alligator— Dinner  to  the 
Resident  on  board  Flirt— Beautiful  trim  of  Vessel— Visits  of  many  Malay  Chieftains,  151 

TWENTY-FIRST  DAY.  Visit  to  a  Malay  Panyorang— Sends  his  State  Prahu— Compli 
ment  with  an  American  flag— A  Malay  abode— Entertainment— Songs  and  Plays— Reci 
tations  of  Poetry,  about  Wars  and  Romance— A  celebrated  Malay  Princess— Zaydeo 
Komala— A  Malay  Secretary  engaged  by  Commander  of  Flirt— Comments  by  the 
younger  Missionary  upon  Malay  Poetry, 1C5 

TWENTY-SECOND  DAY.  The  Family  of  the  Malay  Chieftain— A  Malay  Lady  in  full- 
dress— The  Granddaughter,  Sahyeepah— Her  superior  intelligence— An  Orang  Kubu 
Slave— Fabled  Monsters  in  the  East— Some  account  of  the  Territory  of  Jambee— Com 
ments  of  a  Dutch  Officer  about  Malay  Character— A  Malay  Gentleman— Female  Su 
premacy  in  Sumatra,  and  in  the  Archipelago,  177 

TWENTY-THIRD  DAY.  A  visit  to  the  Princess  Zaydeo  Komala— Her  Beauty— An 
Entertainment— Interchange  of  Presents, 19! 

TWENTY-FOURTH  DAY.  Dutch  jealousy  aroused— Many  Malays  and  Arabs  wishing 
to  join  the  Flirt— The  Grandson  of  Panyorang  Scherrif  Ali— Anticipations  of  a  Suraatran 
Heroine, 196 

TWENTY-FIFTH  DAY.  Apprehensions  of  Annoyance— Preparing  to  depart— Mate  of 
Flirt  wishes  to  go  to  Jambee— A  Letter,  addressed  to  Sultan  of  Jambee,  prepared  for 
him— Written  by  the  Malay  Secretary, 200 

TWENTY-SIXTH  DAY.  A  Chinese  Wedding  Feast— Commander  of  Flirt  the  chief 
gUest—Curious  Particulars  of  the  Feast— Bird's  Nest— Whispered  Warnings— Com 
mander  returns  to  his  Vessel— Departure  of  Mate, 200 

TWENTY-SEVENTH  DAY.  The  insulting  Naval  Officer  on  board  Flirt— Violent  cir 
cumstances  attending  the  arrest  of  the  Commander— Gross  insult  to  the  American 

Flag, 2" 

.    222 


TWENTY-EIGHTH  DAY.    Sabbath  on  board  the  Palmer 

TWENTY-NINTH  DAY.    Examination  of  Baggage  on  entering  Fort  of  Palembang— A 
Revolver  Pistol— Prints  of  a  little  girl's  hands  and  feet— Home  Memories,       .        .    223 


Xii  CONTENTS. 

THIRTIETH  DAY.  Visit  of  Resident  to  Commander  In  Prison— False  friendship  of  tho 
Dutch  Governor— Tho  Silver  Heart— Chances  of  escape— Refusal  to  make  use  of 
them, 22S 

Til  I RTY-FIRST  DAY.  Removed  on  board  a  Vessel  of  War,  to  bo  carried  to  Batavia— 
Stop  at  Minto — Visit  of  Port-Master  and  Surgeon — Anti- American  feeling  in  N.  India — 
Painful  musings  on  traversing  the  Java  Sea  a  Prisoner— Contrasts  with  former  free 
rovings— Arrival  at  Batavia, 2% 

THIRTY-SECOND  DAY.  Horrors  of  a  Onard  Ship— Transfer  to  the  Prison  of  Welt,- 
vreden— The  Baron,  and  other  Fellow-Prisoners, 242 

THIRTY-THIRD  DAY.  The  Prison  Cell— A  Strange  Maniac— Prisoners  of  State— A 
mad  Lawyer — A  crazy  Lady — Convict  Pirates,  the  waiters — Brandy  recommended  as 
superior  to  Philosophy— Brought  in  stealthily  in  hollow  bamboos—"  Staffs  of  Life,"— 
Prove  broken  reeds, 248 

THIRTY-FOURTH  DAY.  Tho  Bastinado— Terrible  Punishment— Foster  child  of  the 
Baron— Interesting  little  Malay  Girl— History  of  Umbah— Affection  for  her— A  Drunken 
Scene— Arrival  of  a  Chief  Magistrate— Examinations— Umbah  clings  to  her  new  frit- ml 
for  protection, 2C2 

THIRTY-FIFTH  DAY.    Sabbath  on  board  the  Palmer, 270 

TIII1.TY-MXTH  DAY.  Visit  to  the  Flirt  to  obtain  Baggage— Her  plundered  condition 
—Liberation  from  Prison  on  account  of  informality  of  arrest — Regrets  on  leaving  Um- 
t.:th,  tin-  little  l"-t  Flower  of  the  Sumatran  Mountains— At  Liberty,  but  cannot  K-ave— 
\ilvisi-rs — A  KirM,  true-hearted  Ainrrican  CapUiin — Re-arrest — Looking  for  a 
Jail— Horrors  of  Stad  Prison— The  Bold  Captain  beleaguers  Dutch  Justice,  and  obtains 
relief  for  the  Prisoner— Return  to  belter  Quarters  in  Weltevreden,  .  .  .280 

THIRTY-SF.VF.NTH  DAY.  Liberation  of  Crew— The  Faithful  Pirrz— Black  Cabin 
I'.ny  «  f  Flirt— Hi>  IIM<  ry — Lost  Papers  saved  by  him— Departure  of  brave  Bassett — 
Opinion  of  Boatswain  about  ditferenco  between  American  citizens  and  American  Gov- 
irnment, -297 

THIRTY-KIGHTH  DAY.  Dutch  Government  sends  for  Officers  at  Palembang  toappear 
as  Witnesses— All  drowned,  on  the  King's  Birthday — Suspected  Revenge  of  Balineso 
Captain, 305 

Till  RTY-NINTH  DAY.  The  Unhung  Marshal  of  Napoleon— A  Brick  Machine  made  for 
his  Grandson — American  talent  in  Prison, 314 

FORTIETH  DAY.  A  Retrospect— Liberation  of  Crew  of  Flirt— Vacillation  of  Judges 
and  Jailers— A  Change  of  events, -820 

FORTY-FIRST  DAY.  Granddaughter  of  Panyorang  Osman  in  Prison— A  Brutal  Turn- 
k.-y  punished— Grace  and  Beauty  in  tho  Archipelago— Heartlessuess  of  European 
Lovers  and  Fathers, 836 

FORTY-SECOND  DAY.    Sabbath  on  board  the  Palmer,  843 

F<»RT\  -THIRD  DAY.  Pin-/,  in  Prison— Ensign  of  tho  Flirt— Celebration  of  the  Fourth 
of  July  in  Wt-ltevmlen— Consequences—  A  Removal— Arrival  of  an  American  Man-of- 
War— Visit  to  tho  Governor  General— A  Spurious  Document— Inglorious  departure  of 
Man-of-War— Comments  of  Boatswain,  -  .844 


CONTENTS.  Xlll 


FORTY-FOURTH  DAY.  The  New  Cell— Maniac  Neighbor— A  Visitor,  brother  of  Sah- 
vocpah — A  Javanese  Discourse — News  from  Panyorang  Osman — A  Malay  Letter — Lib 
eration  of  Baron— Tariff  of  Grace— Umbah,  the  bold  little  Escort,  .  3451 

FORTY-FIFTH  DAY.  The  motherless  Malay  Child— Visions  of  a  Mother-Music  in  the 
Heart— Weltevreden,  a  College— The  chief  Pupil— The  Granddaughter  of  the  Sumatran 
Prince — Malay  Taste  for  Geography — Chewing  of  Sirih — Malay  horror  of  the  Negro 
Race— Little  dog  Bassett— Attack  upon  a  Soldier— Umbah  and  Bassett,  .  .  373 

FORTY-SIXTH  DAY.  Visit  of  a  Priest— A  Bnghis  Soldier  condemned  to  die— The 
Christian  and  Mahometan  Teacher — Malay  Metempsychosis — Story  of  a  Murderer — 
His  Lover  killed  by  a  Tiger— A  Career  of  Blood— An  Oriental  Mind  awakened— A 
Wonderful  Change— The  Barbarian's  Hope— Baptism  in  Prison— Death  of  a  Soldier  of 
the  Cross— The  Souls  and  Trade  of  the  East, 8-5 

FORTY-SEVENTH  DAY.  Another  Investigation  and  Liberation— Re-arrest— A  Re 
markable  Malay  Mind — Studies  with  Sahyeepah — Enthusiasm  and  Ambition  of  Malay 
Females— The  Peddler  and  the  Message— Bearer  of  a  Despatch  wanted— Sahyeepah 
undertakes  a  Dangerous  Journey— Curious  concealment  of  a  Letter,  .  .  .  401 

FORTY-EIGHTH  DAY.    Sabbath  on  board  the  Palmer, 417 

FORTY-NINTH  DAY.  Visit  of  the  Baron— Consultation  about  Umbah— Settlement  of 
the  Foster  Child— The  Crazy  Lady— Infanticide  and  Madness— Dyak  Superstition— Ab 
duction  of  a  Girl  by  an  Orang  Utan— Strange  Students  and  Studies  in  Prison— Civiliza 
tion  touching  the  Heart  of  Barbarism,  ,  .  .  .  .418 

FIFTIETH  DAY.  Three  great  Events  in  Succession— Serpent  in  the  Cell— An  Earth 
quake  rocking  the  Prison— A  Third  Decree  of  Liberation  by  one  Court— And  order  of 
Re-arrest  by  another — Motives  for  a  Public  Trial — Apprehensions  about  Sahyeepah,  428 

FIFTY-FIRST  DAY.  The  Trial— A  Remarkable  Assemblage  of  Witnesses-Trial  de 
scribed  by  Boatswain  on  board  Palmer — The  Letter  to  the  Sultan  of  Jainbee — The  Arab 
Prince — Evidence  by  Pantomime — Verdict  of  Acquittal — Friendly  Greetings  with  Chief 
tains  from  Palembang— Kiagoos  Lanang,  the  repentant  Secretary— Continued  fears 
about  Sahyeepah,  435 

FIFTY-SECOND  DAY.  Happy  Return  of  a  Heroic  Messenger— Narrative  of  her  Event 
ful  Journey — The  Magician  and  Robber — An  American  Blackguard  in  Java — Misfortune 
of  the  Travellers — Stop  at  Cheribon — Help — At  Samarang — The  Mountain  of  Horses  and 
Chariots— The  Mountain  of  Red  Fire— Drowning  of  Ambon— Arrival  at  Surakarta— 
The  state  of  the  Emperor — The  Wild  Beast  Shows — Labors  of  Sahyeepah — Return 
down  Solo  River — Soorabayah — At  Sea — Death  of  an  old  Servant— Sahyeepah  faint 
and  worn  out,  falls  into  the  arms  of  her  Father, 450 

FIFTY-THIRD  DAY.  The  Faithful  Messenger— Forgetfulness  of  Self— The  Awakened 
Mind  of  Sahyeepah — Love  of  Christ  in  Java — The  Prison  a  Temple  for  the  Worship  of 
the  Most  High— Dutch  Patriotism  and  Oppression— Weakness  of  Native  Princes— The 
Hope  of  the  Archipelago — Xavier,  Raffles,  Judson,  466 

FIFTY-FOURTH  DAY.  The  Government  of  Netherland  India  feels  that  it  can  oppress 
an  American  citizen  with  impunity-  Expected  presence  of  an  American  squadron  at  Ba- 
•tavia— Too  busy  with  a  treaty — Hopes  of  release — Congratulations — Faithful  Javanese 
Friends— Sahyeepah  in  her  beautiful  robes— A  Change— Sentinel  at  the  door— The  Grip 
of  ruthless  power— Time  to  Escape-  Helps  without— Defrauding  and  Betrayal  of  a 


XIV  CONTENTS. 


Prisoner  by  a  Dutch  official— Tho  Kns<i:m  ("oiirt- -A  Cutter  fitted  up  at  Singapore— 
Crui-ings  off  Java — The  Boatswain  tells  how  ho  found  the  Prisoner  in  face  of  I)e:i:h-- 
"\Vorkin::  at  window-bars— Sudden  Apparition  of  the  faithful  Pirez— Supernatural  powers 
ascribed  to  him— Faithful  heart  of  Sahyeepah— He  scales  Prison  walls — Tho  noblo 
young  friend  of  Americans— Flight  of  Pirc-z — A  stunned  and  bleeding  Sentinel— Safety 
of  the  Mate  of  the  Flirt— The  Baron  brings  poison— Messaco  from  Tinbah— Faithful 
•>sett — The  Crirfs  of  Escape— Trying  moments — The  air  of  Freedom— Sahyeepah 
on  tho  way— Tho  boat  of  tho  Palmer— Her  bravo  Crew— Farewell  to  the  Flirt— Fare 
well  to  noble,  faithful  Hearts— Farewell  to  Sahyeepah— Firo  from  the  Guard  Ship 
returned — Last  sight  of  Java,  475 


THE  Prison  of  Weltevreden,  in  1853,  was  an  irregular  group  of 
thick-walled  barracks,  one  story  high.  There  was  a  gloomy  Hall 
of  Justice  in  front,  where  the  examination  of  prisoners  pro 
visionally  detained  took  place.  The  visitor  who  did  not  wish 
to  enter  the  chambers  of  the  Hall,  would  pass  along  beneath  an 
archway;  and  then  came  in  view*  of  the  house  of  the  head 
jailer.  Further  on,  he  would  enter  an  open  court,  with  a  row 
of  commodious,  cleanly,  prison  chambers  on  either  side,  devoted 
to  prisoners  of  state  and  to  unconvicted  persons :  beyond  this, 
passing  through  a  gateway  in  a  lofty  wall,  he  would  enter  an 
other  open  court,  between  rows  of  smaller,  and  more  closely 
guarded  cells,  whose  iron  studded  doors,  and  close  barred  grat 
ings,  showed  that  they  were  the  abodes  of  convicted  men ;  an 
other  and  smaller  court  was  beyond  this,  with  inclosures  and  rows 
of  cells  on  either  side  ;  these  were  smaller,  filthier,  more  closely 
guarded  than  the  preceding  ones,  and  the  abodes  of  still  greater 
unfortunates ;  but  farthest  of  all,  at  the  bottom  of  the  quad 
rangle,  there  was  to  be  seen  a  range  of  low,  gloomy  walls,  of 
1 


!>    '  PRISON  OF 

heavy,  black-stained,  iron-embossed  doors,  with  crevices  for  light 
and  air.  There  the  deadly  silence  of  a  church  vault  reigned 
behind ;  except  now  and  then,  might  be  heard  the  footfall  of  a 
Dutch  sentry ;  or  the  hoarse,  heavy  rustle  of  the  chains  of  some 
wretch  doomed  to  death  or  to  lifelong  woe. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  2Gth  January,  1853,  in  the  first 
cell,  on  the  right  hand  of  the  first  court,  a  prisoner  was  pacing 
his  chamber  floor,  with  a  look  of  deep  thought,  and  some  exciter 
ment.  He  is  a  man  in  early  manhood,  but  his  bleached  and 
marked  face,  show  a  greater  number  of  years  than  he  has  yet 
passed.  He  has  been  in  prison  a  long  time,  and  his  soul  has 
been  sorely  tried ;  but  now  he  has  heard  news,  that  give  him 
hopes  of  speedy  liberty ;  and  he  feels  a  thronging  rush  of  emo 
tions  at  the  thought  of  beholding  the  bright  world  again.  He 
had  heard  of  a  favorable  decision  by  his  judges ;  and  each  time 
he  hears  the  outer  gate  of  the  prison  swing  open,  he  expects  to 
behold  an  officer  with  the  order  for  his  release. 

He  has  packed  up  the  few  effects  of  his  scanty  wardrobe, 
and  some  trifles,  the  work  of  his  brain  and  hands  .during  his 
prison  hourSj  each  of  which  he  would  preserve  as  mementoes  of 
a  painful,  yet  strangely  interesting  portion  of  life.  He  paces  to 
and  fro,  to  calm  the  tumult  of  his  heart, — throbbing  with  long 
ings  to  work  out  in  deed,  some  visions  that  had  broken  in  upon 
him  like  prophecies  in  his  lonely  prison  room. 

As  he  walks,  his  face  droops,  and  there  is  a  shade  passing 
over  it;  he  thinks  how  little  less  cheerless  will  be  the  wide 
world  to  the  prison  he  leaves  behind.  He  thinks  of  some  ties 
and  duties,  that  would  demand  his  devotion  when  free ;  and  he 
recall  >  many,  so  many  strange  and  happy  memories ;  but  all 
are  mingled  with  pain,  much  more  than  seems  to  be  the  common 
lot  of  mon. 


THE   RE-ARREST.  3 

His  hopes  of  freedom  bring  melancholy ;  the  sadness  of  in 
tense  feeling.  He  is  touched  with  it  deeply ;  but  not  love,  nor 
the  memory  of  it,  has  place  in  his  thoughts ;  and  yet  they  are 
busy  with  pictures  of  woman,  some  one  of  his  own  race ;  some 
wise  and  sympathetic  soul  with  whom  he  fain  would  talk. 
He ' needs  the  faith  which  the  jealousy  of  man  never  gives  to 
that  fellow-man,  who  steps  out  upon  a  new  and  untrodden 
course. 

As  he  muses,  the  prisoner  pauses  at  the  bars  of  his  room 
window.  The  sun^has  set,  and  the  stars  are  fast  spangling  a 
lovely  Javan  sky :  so'^tly,  deeply  blue,  and  of  a  dreamy,  mysterious 
loveliness  like  the  daughters  of  the  Javan  land.  The  sky  and 
daughters  of  the  sacred  isle,  had  often  soothed  the  prisoner  in 
his  solitude,  and  lulled  him  to  a  forgetfulness  of  the  past, — awak 
ening  hopes  of  a  new  and  happier  life  among  these  coral  isles. 

But  with  the  thoughts  of  freedom  return  the  memories  of 
the  sky  of  his  own  land,  and  the  daughters  of  his  own  race. 
He  looks  northward  and  westward,  where  the  clear  blue  sky,  the 
fresh  invigorating  air,  and  noble,  fair  faces,  thoughtful  not 
dreamy,  nerve  the  soul  to  its  highest  and  best  essays. 

As  he  muses  on,  his  head  and  heart  are  busy  with  many 
plans  and  warm  hopes.  The  prison  gate  swings  open ;  an  officer 
appears ;  the  well-known  face  of  thee,  good  Brower,  who  had  often 
brought  such  change  of  joy  and  woe  to  the  tenants  of  this  sad 
house  of  care.  The  prisoner  steps  forward  to  meet  him  ;  he  sees 
a  paper  in  his  hand,  and  his  heart  beats  strongly ;  but  there  is  a 
cloud  on  ttte  face  of  Brower;  for  the  good  sheriff  was  joyful 
when  he  brought  joy,  and  sad  when  he  brought  sadness.  The 
paper  is  seized, — is  read ;  'tis  a  decree  from  superior  judges, 
ordering  another  trial,  and  casting  the  prisoner  back  upon  the 
doubt,  and  pain,  and  gloom  of  his  prison  life. 


Ox  a  fair  evening,  in  the  Java  sea,  on  board  of  one  of  Ameri 
ca's  largest  and  fleetest  clippers,  homeward  bound  from  China,  a 
)ady  was  seated  on  the  quarter  deck,  leaning  upon  the  t'gallant 
rail,  and  gazing  earnestly  upwards  at  the  starry  splendors  of  a 
lovely  Indian  sky. 

She  gazed  with  a  quiet  joy  upon  the  stars,  and  some  faint, 
waning  tints  of  a  rich  tropic  sunset ;  and  a  gentle  murmur  of 
the  waters  rippling  by  the  ship's  sides,  made  soothing  melody  to 
her  soul ;  yet  was  she  sad  in  her  revery. 

Though  each  breath  of  air  wafted  that  ship  on  its  way  to  her 
native  land  and  home, — to  the  loved  ones  around  the  old  home's 
hearth ;  yet  there  was  a  painful  gap  of  space,  a  weary  lapse  of 
time  to  pass  away,  ere  the  joys  of  home  would  be  her's. 

She  was  feeble  in  health ;  and  there  were  causes  more  besides 
to  make  the  voyage  dull  and  unpleasing ;  and  to  make  the  long 
time  that  was  yet  to  pass  away  look  still  longer.  She  longed 
as  only  a  prisoner,  and  a  lonely  passenger  at  sea  can  long,  for 
some  companionship,  to  help  chase  away  the  dreary»8olitude  of 
that  quarter  deck. 

The  lady  sighs  and  thinks  of  home,  feeling  that  there  alone, 
and  not  till  seated  there,  can  she  hope  for  any  answer  to  her 
soul's  want;  and  she  sighs,  not  that  it  should  be  thus,  but 
that  home  is  so  far  off,  that  there  are  three  or  more  weary 


THE    WRECK. 


months  to  pass  away,  Before  reaching  it ;  and  there  is  no  hope 
of  pleasant  voice  and  look  to  brighten  with  some  cheer  the  long, 
long  days,  that  must  be  lived  through  on  board  that  cheerless 
ship. 

She  sees  no  hand  of  Providence,  leading  that  ship;  as  it 
silently  wings  its  way  on  that  unruffled  sea,  beneath  that  calm, 
starry  sky  of  the  Indian  Archipelago.  She  sees  only  those  twin 
isles,  the  "  Two  Brothers ;  "  and  a  little  way  off,  the  "  Watch 
er,"  which  seem  in  some  way  typical  of  herself  and  her  heart's 
longings ;  and  though  she  sees  it  not,  those  longings  arise  from 
some  sympathy,  with  .the  near  approach  of  the  workings  of  that 
hand,  which  was  leading  that  ship  on  a  pathway  on  which  ship 
had  never  gone  before. 

The  great  clipper  glides  onward,  through  the  phosphorescent 
waters,  amid  the  deepening  shades  of  night.  Her  officers  pace 
her  decks  in  confident  security,  and  the  word  is  passed  that  all 
is  well.  They  have  looked  at  the  charts,  and  think  their  path 
way  clear ;  they  see  no  hidden  rocks,  nor  reefs,  nor  shoals  in  the 
course  they  would  pursue  for  the  night.  There  were  some  coral 
ledges  marked  down,  which  their  observations  placed  about  three 
miles  oiF  on  their  starboard  bow ;  But  their  place  on  the  chart 
was  wrong. 

The  lady  sighs  again,  and  says :  What  ray  of  hope,  of  cheer 
to  this  solitude,  is  there  on  the  long  track  of  waters  before  me  ? 

What  hope, there  is  a  rebound,  and  quivering  shock  felt 

throughout  that  ship  :  there  is  a  dull,  grating  sound  rising  up 
from  the  waters  beneath  her  bows  ;  and  see  the  confused  hurry  of 
officers  and  men,  as  they  cry,  Aground !  aground !  we're  aground ! 

The  ship  had  struck  on  Brewer's  shoals. 


ON  the  morning  of  the  25th  April,  1853,  the  Palmer,  a  large 
American  ship,  was  to  be  seen  leaving  the  roadstead  of  Batavia, 
with  all  her  canvas  spread,  to  catch  the  soft  land  breeze,  that 
came  in  aromatic  wafts  from  off  the  Java  shore. 

Her  commander,  crew,  and  passengers  were  all  on  deck,  look 
ing  towards  the  port  they  were  leaving,  with  a  gaze  of  intense 
anxiety.  Two  long  twelve-pounder  cannon  were  run  out  for  a 
stern  chase,  and  stout,  rugged-looking  seamen,  were  standing  by 
with  hands  already  blackened  with  powder:  and  there  were 
other  signs,  which  would  seem  to  show  a  state  of  war,  or  the 
attack  of  some  hostile  sea  rover.  But  it  is  neither  war  nor  pi 
racy,  that  is  the  cause  of  this  ship's  warlike  trim. 

There  is  a  man  on  board,  for  whom  this  anxiety  is  shown ; 
for  whom  these  guns  are  pointed.  He  has  just  come  up  from 
out  of  the  ship's  hold,  where  he  has  been  lying  hid  for  some 
time.  He  looks  very  pale,  bleached  by  long,  unchanging  stay, 
within  confining  walls ;  and  this  pallor  contrasts  strangely  with 
thick,  black  hair  on  his  head,  and  long,  unsightly  black  hair  on 
his  lips;  but  this  is  not  his  own;  his  own  lighter  hair  peers 
from  beneath,  and  his  strange-looking,  ill-fitting  garments  do  not 
Beem  to  have  been  made  for  his  person. 

It  would  be  easy  to  judge  from  this  man's  disguised  costume 


THE    STRAITS    OF    SUNDA.  7 

and  countenance,  and  his  anxious,  hunted  look,  that  he  was  a 
fugitive ;  and  it  would  be  no  less  easy  to  judge  from  the  stir  on 
board  around  him,  and  the  lookout  towards  Java,  that  he  had 
just  escaped  from  that  island;  and  the  people  on  board  were 
expecting  a  pursuit,  and  stood  ready  to  beat  off  all  attempt  to 
retake  him. 

The  land  breeze  now  freshens  up,  and  the  clipper  surges 
ahead,  at  a  rate  that  would  defy  the  pursuit  of  any  craft,  with 
sail  or  steam,  in  those  seas.  The  city  of  Batavia  has  sunk  from 
view ;  but  a  Dutch  war  steamer's  long,  black  wreath  of  smoke  is 
yet  to  be  seen  above  the  horizon. 

Edam,  with  its  wild  ruins,  and  the  Thousand  Isles,  are 
passed;  then  Onrust,  that  grave  of  sailors;  next  Cramat,  with 
the  Tchandys  of  the  old  Brahmins ;  and  then  the  Kambuys, 
Great  and  Little,  the  fruity  Babi,  the  lofty  Guming  Laoo,  near 
by  the  Pulo  Merak  with  its  curious  cove,  rise  upon  the  view, 
and  are  lost  astern  of  the  swift-winged  ship.  There  are  cluster 
ing  here,  and  lining  the  Sunda  Straits,  that  great  gateway  of  the 
trade  of  the  East,  some  of  earth's  fairest  spots  of  island  verdure 
and  shade,  and  filled  with  the  brightest  of  winged  life,  and 
tropic  beauty. 

The  lovely  Sunda  Isles  glide  quickly  past  in  review.  The 
shoaly  channelled  Zutphen  group,  the  pirate  prahu's  safe  re 
treat  ;  then  little  Thwart  the  Way,  with  its  noisy,  foaming 
shore,  the  lofty  Rajah  Bassa  of  the  great  Malay  land,  Sebookoo,  by 
the  Lampong's  Bay  and  Pulo  Bessi ;  but  chief  of  all,  is  the  sub 
lime  and  lovely  Crockatoa,  with  its  marvellous  marine  gardens 
by  its  shores,  its  deep  verdure  and  boiling  fountains,  where  the 
angler  can  cook  the  fish  caught  within  his  rod's  reach,  from  the 
ocean  tide,  laving  the  island's  coral  border ;  and  lastly  appears 
Pulo  Intan.  The  Batoo  Hadjy,  or  Pilgrim's  rock  of  the  Dia- 


8  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

mond  Island,  is  waning  to  the  view ;  'tis  gone,  and  now  that  ship 
is  alone  between  unbroken  sky  and  water,  on  the  great  Indian 
sea. 

The  sun  has  set ;  and  the  weary  crew  and  passengers  are  re- 
tiring  to  an  early  rest.  The  officer  of  the  watch  is  pacing  to  and 
fro,  and  the  man  at  the  wheel  is  watching  his  compass,  and  the 
shaking  skysail. 

There  are  three  persons,  who  are  lingering  on  that  quar 
ter-deck:  they  are  gazing  wistfully  out  upon  the  sparkling 
sea,  and  then  at  the  splendor  of  the  Indian  night  sky ;  and  two 
of  these  are  ladies,  and  the  other  is  the  fugitive. 

He  draws  near,  and  they  speak  of  the  beauty  of  the  sea  and 
the  stars.  The  ladies  were  talking  of  the  cheatery  of  star-raised 
hopes ;  of  the  treachery  lying  beneath  these  gentle  Indian  waters ; 
and  of  the  frailty  of  the  great  ship,  that  now  bore  them  on  so 
swiftly  and  so  safely. 

And  why  did  the  ladies  think  thus  ?  And  then  they  tell  of 
the  revery  of  one,  some  three  months  before,  on  this  same  quarter 
deck,  at  a  point  within  two  degrees  of  where  their  ship  now  is ; 
and  they  tell  how  the  starry  and  ocean  depths  they  were  then 
looking  at  had  been  questioned,  seeking  to  find  a  solace  in  their 
shadowy  looks  and  great  mysterious  voices ;  and  how  the  heart 
had  gathered  hope  from  them,  and  the  soul  was  soothed  with  the 
melcdy  of  whispering  wavelets ;  soothed  to  a  sense  of  peace  and 
quiet  trust.  But  just  then  the  coral  rocks  were  beneath  the  ship's 
bows,  and  she  struck  upon  Brewer's  hidden  shoals.  How  the 
vessel  had  been  got  off,  and  barely  kept  afloat  to  run  into  a  port 
near  by ;  and  how,  after  three  months  refitting,  she  had  sailed ; 
and  at  the  moment  of  departure,  he  had  himself  escaped  on 
board ;  of  all  this,  the  fugitive  himself  best  knew. 

It  was  curious, — a  fact  outvying  in  strange  coincidence  many 


A    MEETING.  9 

a  rare  device  of  fancy.  He,  too,  had  had  a  revery,  on  the 
evening  of  a  day,  just  three  months  ago  :  and  he  had  been  look 
ing  from  close-barred  gratings  up  to  the  same  blue  and  glittering 
space,  seeking  hope  in  the  skyey  depths;  he  thought  he  read 
there  what  he  sought,  and  he  was  about  to  go  forth,  to  enjoy  the 
sweets  of  wandering  free  once  more ;  but  the  cold  hand  of  ruth 
less  power,  under  a  cloak  of  justice,  was  then  near  by;  and 
Brower,  the  sheriff  of  Weltevreden,  came  with  an  order  of  re- 
arrest,  that  cast  the  prisoner  back  upon  his  despair. 

All  this  is  true — on  the  same  day,  almost  the  same  hour, 
these  two  reveries  were  broken  by  the  wreck  and  the  re-arrest ; 
by  Brower  the  sheriff,  and  by  Brewer's  shoals. 

They  begin  to  tell  to  each  other  something  of  the  past.  The 
ladies  had  heard  some  rumors,  from  a  prison  in  Batavia ;  but  all 
was  vague  about  him,  who  came  on  deck  that  morning.  He  had 
come  amid  hurry,  excitement,  and  the  roar  of  cannon.  Where 
had  he  been  ?  why  imprisoned  ?  and  above  all,  how  had  he  es 
caped  ? 

The  questions  of  the  ladies  conjure  up  an  eventful  and  excit 
ing  past.  A  host  of  strange  people,  of  wild  and  lovely  scenes, 
and  stirring  deeds,  that  would  require  much  time  to  unfold.  But 
there  is  a  long  voyage  before  them ;  and  they  all  shall  have  plea 
sure  on  many  a  fair  day,  and  many  a  soft  evening,  in  telling  and 
listening. 


• 


THE  Palmer  is  a  beautiful  ship ;  of  frigate  size  in  length  of 
keel,  from  deck  to  kelson,  and  in  the  width  of  her  beam.  Her 
sides,  bows,  and  stern,  sweep  around  in  continuous  curves.  She 
has  long  polished  masts,  of  bright-grained  heart  of  pine,  tapering 
from  the  thick  columnar  base  in  the  hold,  up  so  gracefully 
to  the  slender  royal  shafts  on  which  the  gilded  trucks  are  poised. 
The  Palmer's  yards  are  of  man-of-war's  weight  and  width,  on 
which  are  bent  a  full  suit  of  sails,  from  spanker  to  jib,  from 
main  to  sky-sail,  springing  so  trimly  from  the  clews,  and  span 
ning  each  spar  with  a  graceful  arch.  The  whitest  of  pine  glis 
tens  on  her  quarter-deck,  one  third  of  the  ship's  length;  and 
at  the  break  of  it,  steps  lead  down  to  the  main  deck,  on  each 
Bide  of  a  covered  companion-way,  leading  into 

THE    CABIN    OF    THE    PALMER. 

In  it  there  is  a  range  of  state-rooms,  starboard  and  larboard, 
four  of  each,  ample  as  chambers,  with  beds,  not  berths,  of  four 
feet  width,  with  springy  mattress,  like  beds  ashore.  The  polish 
of  bird's-eye  maple,  by  the  side  of  deep-hued  mahogany,  glistens 
from  panel  and  stanchion.  A  partition  of  rich  panelling  and 
stained  glass,  cuts  off  ten  feet  of  the  after  part  of  the  saloon, 
superbK  cushioned  and  carpeted,  from  the  main  portion  forward, 
which  is  filled  with  the  dining  table,  and  the  cushioned  seats  on 
either  side. 


PASSENGERS    OF    THE    PALMER.  11 

At  this  table,  eleven  persons  are  seated,  on  the  second  morn 
ing  of  the  homeward  voyage  of  the  ship  from  Java.  Her  com 
mander  sits  at  the  forward  end :  he  is  yet  young,  not  past  his 
thirtieth  year.  He  is  backward  and  faint  of  speech  in  the  cabin, 
though  forward  and  firm  enough  on  deck :  he  does  not  speak 
much  or  well,  except  in  a  gale  of  wind,  to  men  on  the  yards, 
reefing  refractory  sails. 

His  fair  young  wife  sits  on  his  left ;  who  had  preferred  life 
at  sea  with  her  bronze-faced  sailor,  to  a  quiet  home  with 
father  and  mother.  Their  baby,  a  crowing  urchin,  the  pet  of 
the  cabin,  little  Charley  boy,  is  just  now  nestled  in  the  lap  of 
the  lady  who  sits  next  to  his  mother ;  and  this  is  the  lady  of  the 
revery  on  the  quarter-deck. 

The  baby's  nurse  sits  next  to  the  lady;  a  spare-looking, 
talkative,  cheery  old  dame ;  she  has  spent  her  life  singly,  has 
seen  much  of  the  world — nursing  and  voyaging ;  yet  prouder  of 
nothing  more  than  to  be  a  famous  child  manager  and  pleaser ; 
and  somewhat  vain  of  her  knowledge  of  making  crullers  and 
doughnuts,  and  all  manner  of  domestic  pastry. 

The  old  nurse  finds  sometimes  a  willing,  sometimes  a  gruff, 
impatient  listener  to  her  exploits  with  babies  and  short  crust,  in 
her  neighbor  on  her  left.  We  shall  follow  that  course  round  the 
table.  The  nurse's  left  hand  neighbor  is  a  man  about  forty- 
five  years  of  age  ;  he  is  a  huge,  broad-chested,  dark-looking  man 
of  war.  He  is  terrible  to  look  at,  and  terrible  in  his  strength 
and  courage.  The  ancient  god  of  force  seems  incarnate  in  that 
man. 

He  was  a  boatswain  on  board  an  American  ship  of  war,  sta 
tioned  in  the  Chinese  waters.  He  became  chafed  at  times,  and 
disturbed  the  ship's  people  with  his  Titanic  play.  At  one  time, 
he  was  ordered  under  arrest,  and  several  marines  were  sent  to 


12  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

seize  him ;  but  as  they  came  within  reach  of  the  nervy  palms 
of  the  boatswain,  they  fell  around  him  like  rotten  reeds  blown 
down  by  a  strong  wind ;  and  had  these  been  the  days  of  Sam 
son,  without  powder  and  bullet,  he  might  have  withstood  the 
whole  ship's  company  with  a  handspike ;  or  even  Samson's  weapon 
against  the  Philistines. 

But  our  boatswain  must  yield  to  the  overwhelming  power  of 
the  enginery  of  war.  He  was  discharged  and  disrated ;  and  he 
shipped  on  board  the  Palmer,  at  Canton,  to  return  home,  to  seek 
some  redress  at  the  hands  of  the  Chief  of  Marine  at  Wash 
ington. 

"Whilst  the  Palmer  was  repairing  at  Onrust,  the  navy  yard 
of  the  Dutch,  near  to  Batavia,  the  boatswain,  like  the  rest  of 
the  passengers,  spent  his  time  ashore  in  this  city.  The  fame  of 
his  strength  was  common  talk  among  the  natives  and  the  for 
eigners  of  the  port.  Mynheer  took  his  pipe  from  his  mouth, 
and  stared  at  the  shaggy,  lion-headed  American,  as  he  passed 
by ;  and  the  Malay  and  Javanese  said  that  the  rakshashas,  the 
giants  of  old,  Laksamana  or  Panji,  had  come  back  to  earth 
again. 

But  there  was  one  who  took  umbrage  at  the  boatswain's  re 
nown — a  merchant,  and  a  man  of  wealth;  but  an  athlete,  and 
a  prize-fighter  at  heart — who  handled  the  boxing  glove  more 
readily  than  the  pen,  and  preferred  the  bowling  alley  to  the 
counting-room.  He  too  was  hugely  built ;  but  plump,  florid,  and 
round  limbed;  a  marked  contrast  to  the  square  built,  bull- 
necked  boatswain ;  though  they  were  alike  in  age,  stature,  and 
girth. 

Thoy  met  at  the  hotel,  where  the  merchant  had  rooms.  Th§ 
two  gladiators  frankly  gave  and  took  words  of  good  feeling  and 
good  fellowship.  An  admiring  crowd  stood  off,  looking  on,  and 


THE  BOATSWAIN  AND  MERCHANT.  13 

whisperingly  discussed  the  strong  men's  animal  points.  These 
two  drank  to  each  other's  health,  and  toasted  the  sages  and  the 
heroes  of  their  countries. 

The  merchant  warme'd  fast  with  wine ;  his  voice  grew  loud 
er  ;  he  bantered  the  boatswain  about  his  strength ;  he  chal* 
lenged  him  to  exchange  a  few  buffets  with  the  gloves ;  but  our 
man  of  war  kept  cool ;  he  was  a  guest,  and  he  would  not  take 
up  the  gauntlet  of  his  host.  The  latter  taunted  and  pressed  on 
the  boatswain,  and  seized  him  by  a  lappel  of  his  coat  as  he 
was  about  to  depart :  he  pulled  till  the  lappel  and  part  of  the 
back  was  left  in  his  hand;  still  the  boatswain  would  retreat, 
and  would  meet  the  boxing  merchant  some  other  day.  But  no, 
the  latter  would  have  a  trial  of  strength  then:  he  seized  his 
retreating  guest  by  the  remaining  lappel,  taunted  him  with  cow 
ardice,  and  tore  lappel  and  almost  the  whole  of  a  new  uniform 
coat  from  the  boatswain's  back. 

Now,  our  man-of-war's-man's  blood  was  up.  He  bared  his 
brawny  arms.  He  closed  with  his  challenger,  and  the  garments 
of  the  merchant  were  torn  from  him  like  wetted  paper.  They 
grappled,  they  swayed  to  and  fro,  they  heaved,  they  lunged,  and 
the  merchant  was  hurled  to  the  ground. 

The  lookers  on,  were  the  mate  of  the  Palmer,  another 
American,  some  merchants  of  the  city,  and  a  lawyer.  These 
rushed  forward  to  help  the  fallen  man;  but  the  sailor  scat 
tered  them  right  and  left,  and  kept  his  foot  upon  his  prostrate  foe. 
One,  more  forward  than  the  rest,  came  within  the  boatswain's 
grasp,  who  seized  him  by  both  legs,  like  a  helpless  child,  and 
hurled  the  rash  man  out  of  a  window  near  by,  who  was  only 
Baved  from  a  desperate  fall,  and  probable  death,  by  a  balcony 
rail  against  which  he  struck. 

The  boatswain's  foot  was  loosened,  and  the  merchant  sprang 


14  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

up.  He  rushed  upon  his  enemy  with  infuriated  rage.  They 
struck  and  tore  each  other  with  terrible  power ;  and  in  a  mo 
ment  their  broad,  massive  faces  were  bruised  and  gashed,  and 
their  garments  were  hanging  in  tatters  and  clotted  with  blood. 

The  merchant  staggered,  and  again  he  went  down.  Threo 
lookers-on  rushed  forward  to  stop  the  maddened  American  from 
leaping  upon  him.  The  boatswain  seized  them  one  by  one, 
and  felled  them  sprawling  upon  the  prostrate  gladiator;  laid 
hold  upon  a  huge,  heavy,  round  Dutch  table,  overturned  and 
slammed  it  down  upon  the  struggling  four,  jumped  on  top,  leaped 
and  kicked  forth  upon  it  for  a  few  seconds,  an  infuriated  war- 
dance;  and  then  stalked  forth,  conqueror,  bloody,  ungarmented, 
and  awful. 


The  boatswain,  and  the  stout  mate  of  the  Palmer,  who  is  on 
his  left,  at  the  after  end  of  the  cabin  table,  now  listen  with  quiet 
deference  to  the  garrulous  nurse ;  or  to  the  passenger,  who  has  a 
place,  at  the  after  end  of  the  starboard  side.  He  is  the  late 
fugitive,  and  is  speaking  of  Sumatra,  a  chosen  land  with  him, 
of  which  he  hopes  to  tell  much,  to  many  in  his  own  and  other 
lands.  He  will  tell  his  story  in  another  way,  in  these  pages,  as 
he  told  it  to  those  who  sailed  with  him  in  the  Palmer. 

Next  to  him  is  a  pale,  slender,  slow-spoken  man,  about 
thirty  years  of  age,  eight  of  which  he  had  passed  as  a  mission 
ary  in  China,  and  he  is  a  great  amateur  in  Chinese  litera 
ture.  He  had  married  early;  but  Chinese  diet  or  climate,  or 
missionary  life  in  China  seems  fatal  to  American  women;  for  his 
wife  soon  died,  like  many  other  missionary  wives  who  had  gone 
out.  The  young  missionary  needed  another  companion ;  and  the 
mm  at  home,  who  sent  him  forth,  the  American  Board  of  For- 


THE    MISSIONARIES.  15 

cign  Missions,  had  made  large  provision  to  meet  the  wife-wants 
of  the  gospel  laborers  it  sent  forth.  At  one  time,  they  pro 
vided  for  the  return  of  the  widowed  missionary  to  seek  another 
partner ;  but  finally  it  was  decreed,  that  those  who  wished  to 
supply  the  place  of  a  lost  partner,  should  stay  in  the  field  of 
their  labors,  and  have  one  sent  to  them. 

Our  worthy  minister  sent  for  one,  and  he  often  spoke  of  the 
novel  feeling,  in  awaiting  an  unknown  spouse.  In  due  time,  the 
matrimonial  order  was  filled  from  a  female  school  for  missionary 
wives ;  was  shipped,  and  duly  received  in  China  by  the  eagerly 
expectant  consignee,  who  accepted  the  shipment,  pronounced  it 
good,  and  put  his  own  name  upon  it :  and  now,  this  matrimonial 
consignment,  a  slender,  quiet  young  lady,  with  a  mild,  pale 
and  kindly  face,  sits  beside  her  missionary  spouse.  She  is  an 
invalid,  and  they  are  returning  home,  to  save  her  from  the 
speedy  grave  of  the  missionary  wife. 

Another  missionary  sits  next  to  the  invalid  wife.  A  stoop 
ing,  pale-faced,  elderly-looking  man ;  though  older  with  infirm 
ity  than  with  years.  His  thin  hair  is  almost  white ;  but  it  is 
a  flaxen  whiteness,  and  its  natural  hue ;  and  the  pallor  and 
wrinkles  of  his  face,  are  the  bleachings  and  markings  of  failing 
health,  the  speedy  product  of  "  Celestial "  air  and  food. 

But  the  face  of  the  elder  missionary,  as  we  shall  call  him, 
has  a  good,  earnest,  and  benevolent  expression ;  and  his  eyes 
beam  forth  occasionally  from  out  of  the  surrounding  drapery  of 
disease,  with  a  sparkle  of  true  missionary  enthusiasm.  His 
head  swims,  his  sight  is  dim,  and  his  hand  wanders  at  times,  in 
quest  of  food  upon  the  table.  Then  there  is  put  forth  a  woman's 
hand  to  obtain  what  the  sick  man  wants  ;  and  there  is  a  woman's 
voice  by  his  side,  that  rouses  the  sluggish  invalid  from  his  tor 
por.  That  voice  has  a  foreign  sound,  a  Scandinavian  accent,  and 


16  PRISON    OF   WELTEVREDEN. 

belongs  to  a  Swedish  face,  with  a  look  of  middle  age,  round, 
florid,  and  fair,  that  left  Sweden  some  ten  years  ago  for  Eng 
land,  and  there  entered  the  British  missionary  service  to  go  to 
China,  as  a  teacher;  where  some  twelve  months  before  this  time 
she  married  our  elder  missionary,  who  had  not  long  lost  a  wife. 

The  Swedish  lady  sits  on  the  right  hand  of  the  commander, 
and  completes  the  table  circle.  She  leads  the  way  in  conversa 
tion  among  the  cabin's  company ;  and  has  been  addressing  the 
fugitive  passenger  a  multitude  of  questions  about  his  wander 
ings  in  the  Indian  Archipelago,  about  the  Malays,  his  imprison 
ment,  his  trials  and  his  escape. 

He  feels,  as  one  often  feels  who  has  seen  much  of  life, 
and  met  a  strange  fate,  like  many  a  one  of  earnest  thought,  and 
of  some  fine-fibred  feelings,  easily  jarred :  he  shrinks  from  the 
direct  challenge  of  curiosity,  to  tell,  like  a  hireling  story-teller, 
of  that  which  has  been  most  eventful  in  life. 

He  is  feeble  now,  not  yet  recovered  from  late  pain  and  ex 
citement  :  he  looks  very  thin,  and  ghastly.  After  a  time,  he 
will  be  glad  to  tell  his  brave  rescuers,  and  kind-hearted  pro 
viders,  something  of  what  he  has  lately  seen  and  undergone.  It 
will  be  the  only  return  he  now  can  offer  for  the  mate  and  boat 
swain's  timely  rescue  with  the  boat ;  for  the  comfortable  berth  he 
now  finds  on  board ;  for  the  change  of  garments  from  the  elder 
and  younger  missionary;  and  for  the  abundant  gift  of  toilet 
luxuries  from  the  ladies. 

The  commander  wishes  to  know  something  of  the  yellow- 
skinned  people  on  the  pepper  coasts  of  Sumatra ;  the  boatswain 
is  more  curious  about  the  bloody  pirates,  who  cut  off  heads  and 
skin  stout  sailors  alive ;  the  mate  damns  the  Dutch,  and  wouM 
know,  why  the  big-breeched  smokers  had  dared  to  lay  rude  hands 
on  the  flag  of  his  country ;  the  elder  missionary  asks  about  the 


HOW    THE    STOUT  WAS    TOLD.  17 

gospel  among  the  Malays ;  the  younger  about  the  books  of  the 
Javans;  and  the  ladies  ask  if  there  be"  any  truth  in  a  story, 
that  some  heroic  daughter  of  a  Sumatran  chief  or  Javan  noble, 
had  brightened  the  cell  of  their  fellow  passenger,  while  in  the 
Prison  of  Weltevreden. 

This  curiosity  was  not  immediately  gratified,  but  his  story  was 
gradually  drawn  out,  day  after  day ;  and  as  the  interest  in  narra 
ting  and  listening  increased,  he  would  make  a  preparation  of  notes 
during  the  day,  for  the  afternoon's  story  on  the  quarter-deck ; 
and  the  book  is  mainly  made  up  from  those  notes ;  many  of  the 
first  chapters  being  only  slightly  changed  from  the  words  then  pre 
pared.  But  the  exact  order  of  telling  has  not  been  preserved ; 
little  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  circumstances  attending 
each  narration  on  board  the  Palmer ;  and  only  such  comments  of 
the  listeners  as  had  a  bearing  upon  the  object  of  the  work,  have 
been  retained.  He  first  told  of  the  early  influences  that  led  him 
to  adventure  in  the  East ;  then  of  his  voyage  to  Sumatra;  and 
afterwards  of  his  imprisonment,  and  all  that  occurred  to  him  in 
the  island  of  Java, 


THIRD  DAY. 

THE  dark  clouds  of  the  night  before  have  rolled  mutteringly 
away  to  the  laud  of  storms,  leaving  a  bright  tropic  day ;  and 
now,  the  slanting  rays  of  the  declining  sun  shed  a  golden  light, 
and  a  softened  warmth  along  the  polished  quarter-deck  of  the 
Palmer. 

All  of  the  cabin's  company  are  seated  there,  on  the  light  rat 
tan  settees  of  China.  They  are  grouped  around  the  passenger 
from  Java,  who  begins  now  the  story  he  had  promised 

ABOUT    HIS    UNCLE. 

I  had  an  uncle,  who,  when  a  youth,  ran  away  from  home,  a 
good  home ;  from  a  kind  father,  and  an  affectionate  mother,  to  go 
to  sea,  to  become  a  sailor,  to  live  a  life  of  adventure,  and  to  seo 
strange  people  and  far-off  lands.  He  went  through  all  the  bit 
ter  trial  of  a  friendless  apprenticeship  on  board  ship ;  the  tyr 
anny  of  a  brutal  captain;  the  cruel,  harmful  jokes,  and  snub- 
bings  of  more  brutal  men ;  all  this  with  hard  labor,  and  bitter 
weather  on  deck,  and  with  coarse  food,  and  a  foul  berth  in  the 
forecastle,  he  struggled  through  sufferingly,  until  he  became  a 
man,  and  could  hold  an  even  hand  with  a  harsh  life  and  the 
tyranny  of  his  fellow-men. 

ilis  thoughts,  like  those  of  all  sea-roving  young  souls,  wan 
dered  among  the  isles  of  the  Southern  seas.  He  had  daily 
strolled  in  boyhood  upon  the  wharves  of  his  native  seaport  town, 


THE    UNCLE.  19 

to  gaze  upon  the  mighty  ships  that  sailed  to  the  Indies.  He  had 
read  with  eager  relish;  all  stories  of  Eastern  lands ;  and  he  be 
held  in  dreams,  Arabs,  Hindoos  and  Malays,  with  brown  skins, 
bright  turbans,  and  jewelled  robes,  moving  in  pomp  and  dazzling 
array. 

He  found  the  captain  of  an  East  Indiaman,  who  needed  an 
apprentice,  and  would  take  him.  He  thought  of  the  glory  and 
fortune  he  would  win  on  the  ocean,  and  in  the  Indies;  but  how 
leave  his  mother.  He  prepared  a  glowing  story  to  tell  her ;  but 
he  felt  that  she  could  never  view  the  adventure  as  he  did  ;  and 
his  heart  failed  him. 

The  time  approached  for  the  ship  to  sail.  He  had  daily 
watched  the  reeving  of  ropes,  the  bending  on  of  sails,  and  all 
the  preparations  for  a  long  sea  voyage.  The  day  of  sailing  had 
arrived ;  the  ship  is  in  the  stream,  ready  to  up  anchor,  the 
moment  the  captain  shall  come  on  board.  Still  my  uncle  has  not 
dared  to  break  unto  his  mother,  his  desire  to  go  with  this  ship. 
He  feels  that  she  would  never  consent  for  him  to  go  :  he  per 
suades  himself  also,  that  she  cannot  understand  all  the  advan 
tages  of  the  voyage,  and  all  the  motives  that  lead  him  to  wish 
to  go.  He  beholds,  with  boyish  hope,  a  glorious  voyage  accom 
plished  in  a  very  short  time,  when  he  shall  return  in  triumph, 
with  fame  and  fortune,  wherewith  to  gratify  his  mother,  and 
others  whom  his  young  soul  does  love.  He  meets  a  young  sailor 
whom  he  knew,  about  to  put  off  for  the  ship.  The  signal  flag 
of  the  gallant  craft  is  floating  from  the  main ;  and  waves  him 
on  to  glory  and  the  glittering  East.  The  judgment  of  the  boy  and 
his  sense  of  duty,  are  lost  for  the  time,  in  the  strange  visions  of  the 
young  roving  heart.  He  resolves  to  go.  He  writes  a  few  hur 
ried  words  of  love  and  assurance  to  his  mother ;  and,  in  a  few 
hours,  he  is  on  board  the  ship,  at  sea. 


20  ruisoN  OF  WJ;LTJ:VKI:I>EN. 

I  shall  not  tell  you  of  the  various  fortunes  of  this  uncle  in 
the  East.  He  had  passed  from  the  bitter  life  of  the  friendless 
apprentice,  to  that  of  the  sailor  man  5  and  yet  neither  the  fame 
nor  the  fortune  of  his  boyish  dreams  had  been  found.  He  felt 
the  sting  of  disobedience,  along  with  his  other  hardships ;  and 
yet  he  would  not  return  to  his  country,  till  he  could  show  those 
at  home  something  for  his  hopings,  and  his  wanderings.  But 
there  came  a  time,  when  his  pride  was  broken  ;  when  his  heart 
yearned  to  go  back  to  his  mother,  a"nd  try  to  wipe  away  the  error 
of  the  past,  by  soothing  her  failing  age ;  and  then  there  came 
the  news  of  his  mother's  death. 

After  this  there  was  little  in  his  country,  for  which  the  deso 
late,  disappointed  man,  now  cared.  He  made  his  home  irl  the 
East.  He  entered  the  service  of  an  Arab  merchant  of  Muscat ; 
and  after  a  time,  fell  into  the  favor  of  the  Imaum.  He  made 
many  voyages  to  the  Malay  Islands,  chiefly  to  Acheen,  in  the 
island  of  Sumatra. 

Whilst  on  a  return  voyage,  and  touching  at  Bombay,  he 
found  letters  froni  a  sister,  whom  he  remembered  as  a  little  child, 
but  was  now  married  to  a  man  of  wealth.  The  sister  longed  to 
see  her  much  thought-of,  and  long  lost  brother.  His  heart  wa.s 
touched  with  home  memories.  He  arranged  his  affairs  on  his 
return  to  Muscat,  and  after  many  affectionate  adieus  from  Eastern 
friends,  he  departed  for  the  home  of  his  sister. 

The  sun-bronzed  man  was  embraced  by  a  fair  and  dignified 
lady  ;  they  who  had  once  romped  together,  a  ruddy,  round-faced 
boy,  and  a  curly-haired,  rosy-cheeked  girl.  Time's  changes  at 
home  were  sad  for  him  to  dwell  upon.  He  prepared  to  return 
to  the  scene  of  his  interests ;  and  where  he  had  spent  eighteen 
years  of  his  life,  those  years  when  faith  is  strongest,  and  hopes 
are  brightest.  In  speaking  to  his  sister  of  his  future  in  the 


THE    UNCLE.  21 

East,  he  said  that  he  wanted  one  of  her  children  to  share  his 
fortunes  with  him  there.  He  singled  out  her  third  son,  a  child 
rocked  upon  his  own  much-loved  sea.  His  love  for  this -nephew 
grew  strong  from  the  first  moment  of  his  seeing  him,  though  the 
child  could  barely  lisp  his  name.  There  was  a  strange  bond  of 
sympathy  between  them.  And  when  the  uncle  was  gone,  he  regu 
larly  sent  from  Muscat,  or  Ceylon,  or  Acheen,  some  word  or  gift 
for  his  nephew  Walter,  who  now  tells  it  to  you. 

As  I  grew  up,  in  boyhood's  inquiring  age,  I  heard  them  often 
speak  at  home  of  my  adventurous  uncle ;  who  had  caressed  me 
in  my  childhood,  and  had  chosen  me  to  be  his  heir,  and  his  part 
ner  in  foreign  lands.  The  spirit  of  adventure,  to  see  strange 
people  and  far-off  countries,  sprang  up  in  me,  as  soon  as  I  had 
learned  to  read  about  them ;  and  that  was  at  a  very  early  age. 
I  felt  a  longing  to  go  to  sea,  and  to  join  my  uncle,  even  in  my 
seventh  year. 

It  was  about  this  time  my  uncle  made  a  strange,  abrupt  re 
turn.  I  was  much  with  him  during  this  visit, — rambling  to 
gether  often  on  the  sea  beach,  to  listen  to  the  melody  of  the 
tossing  waters,  which  we  both  loved  so  much.  And  then  he 
talked  of  Arabia,  and  of  the  islands  of  the  far  East :  and  more 
than  all  of  Sumatra :  of  the  perfumes  that  wafted  from  her 
shores ;  of  the  many  dainty  fruits,  and  myriad  bright-feathered 
birds  of  her  flowery  groves :  of  the  Malay  princes,  and  of  the 
mighty  wars  with  Portuguese,  Spanish,  Dutch  and  English. 

And  then  he  spoke  of  a  great  city  in  the  centre  of  the  island, 
a  city  once  of  mighty  extent  and  population,  whose  Sultans  had 
given  laws  to  all  the  rest  of  the  Malay  nations.  But  this  great 
city  had  decayed ;  and  its  empire  had  been  divided  into  many 
small,  and  feeble  portions.  Now  the  Malays  looked  for  the  res 
toration  of  the  sacred  city ;  and  their  traditions  had  pointed  to 


22  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

fair-skinned  men  from  the  West ;  who  should  come  with  wisdom 
and  great  power;  and  who  should  destroy  the  robbers  of  Islam,  the 
evil  genii  of  the  woods,  and  a  great  plunderer  called  Jan  Com 
pany.  All  these  scenes,  all  these  events  and  legends,  stirred  up 
a  spirit  which,  from  that  time  forth,  grew  upon  my  soul. 

My  uncle  returned  to  the  East.  The  bronze-faced  man  was 
gone.  The  stories  of  the  sea  and  of  the  islands  had  ceased ; 
but  the  wonders  of  Sumatra,  the  glittering  pomp  of  Eastern 
princes,  shone  in  every  bright  scene  that  met  my  eyes ;  and  then 
as  I  rambled  on  the  beach,  I  often  beheld  with  revery's  eye,  far 
out  at  sea,  where  water  and  sky  did  meet,  where  the  sun's  glis 
tening  rays  were  dancing  amid  the  mirage  of  its  own  making ; 
there  I  beheld  the  sacred  city  of  the  Malay  isle,  with  its  shining 
walls  and  temple  roofs ;  and  then  I  wondered  who  should  help, 
who  should  teach,  and  who  should  do  good  to  the  people  of  the 
Indian  seas. 

When  the  story  of  the  uncle  was  ended,  the  captain  ex 
pressed  his  wonder  how  that  any  man,  who  had  ever  traded  on 
the  coast  of  Sumatra,  could  weave  such  fine  fancies,  as  did  the 
uncle  around  the  thieving,  cut-throat  Malays;  and  the  boat 
swain  muttered  something  about  too  nice  a  yarn,  and  bending 
on  too  much  fancy  tac'le,  and  too  long  in  getting  to  sea  among 
the  Dutch  and  the  pirates.  But  the  ladies  and  the  mission 
aries  smiled  approval,  and  hoped  on  the  following  day  to  hear 
more  of  the  early  influences  that  led  the  narrator  to  the  East. 


FOURTH  DAY. 

When  the  sun's  declining  rays,  caught  by  the  spanker,  left 
one  half  of  the  Palmer's  quarter  deck  in  shade,  the  ladies  and 
the  missionaries  were  grouped  around  the  fugitive  on  the  weather 
quarter,  when  he  began  to  relate 

ABOUT     AN    OLD    TEACHER. 

I  received  my  limited  share  of  bookish  lore  under  the  di 
rection  and  tuition  of  a  good  and  remarkable  old  man.  He 
was  famous  for  his  stories.  The  ordinary  routine  of  the  tasks 
and  the  teaching  of  his  class,  was  often  stayed  to  tell  some  stir 
ring  tale  of  heroic  life  or  travel. 

The  old  worthy  had  been  a  missionary  among  the  red  men,  and 
bois  brules,  of  the  remote  North  West,  and  on  the  Pacific  bor 
ders  :  and  the  boy-hearted  old  enthusiast,  often  led  away  his 
pupils  from  their  books,  to  lead  them  on  in  story  by  the  beaver 
dams  on  the  streamlets  of  the  Winnipeg  and  the  Wimpigoos, 
among  the  wigwams  and  the  deer  haunts,  and  the  browsing  buffa 
loes  on  the  prairies  of  the  Saskatchawan,  and  then  across  the 
rocky  bound  of  Oregon,  and  down  the  Okanagan  to  the  shores 
of  the  Pacific. 

There,  our  good  teacher  loved  to  pause,  and  point  out  to  us, 
far  away,  upon  the  grand  ocean,  beautiful  islands,  the  chosen 
scenes  of  the  lavish  bounty  and  beauty  of  nature,  where  flowers 
for  ever  bloomed,  and  spring-time  had  no  end.  Such  was  the  pic- 


24  PRISON    OF    WT.LTEVREDEX. 

turc  the  good  old  man's  enthusiasm  presented  to  the  eye  of  all 
his  young  hearers ;  and  with  me,  the  stories  of  my  uncle,  and 
my  own  dreamings  of  Sumatra  were  revived ;  and  thus  another 
step  was  my  heart  led  on  towards  the  East. 

Were  I  telling  the  story  of  my  life,  I  would  have  much  to 
Bay  about  many  haps  in  early  boyhood :  even  a  childhood 
of  adventure.  I  was  a  wanderer  from  home,  and  left  to  my 
own  guidance  at  the  age  of  fourteen.  I  entered  a  youthhood 
rich  in  a  wild  young  heart's  revelry,  amid  all  that  adventure 
sought,  and  romance  could  wish  for ;  and  wretched  too  in  all  that 
unthinking,  lonely,  unadvised  youth  could  bring  upon  itself,  of 
unseasonable  trials,  trouble  and  care. 

I  fled  from  my  studies  with  the  old  missionary,  to  seek 
a  home  among  the  red  men  he  had  so  much  spoken  of.  I  wan 
dered  off  with  a  hunting  party,  and  marched  many  a  day  with 
my  boy's  feet,  over  wide  tracts  of  wild  forest ;  or  with  light-footed 
dogs,  and  the  flat,  metal-sheeted  traineau,  glided  over  the  fragile 
ice  crust  of  deep,  boundless,  bleak  snow  wastes.  I  followed  in 
adventure's  steps,  in  the  great  Empire  city ;  and  above  all  in  my 
own  adopted  State.  How  glowing  and  bright  was  the  life  of 
those  early  days ;  and  how  rich  then,  the  revelries  of  the  wild 
young  heart ! 

And  then  came  the  trials  and  cares  of  the  unadvised  youth. 
When  I  was  yet  a  boy,  I  met  in  my  wanderings  in  the  backwoods 
of  South  Carolina  with  a  fair  gentle  girl  of  my  own  age,  who  had 
never  been  more  than  half  a  day's  ride  from  the  plantation  of  her 
father.  We  often  sauntered  together  in  the  still  woods  of  Milwec 
on  summer  days ;  we  would  wade,  barefooted,  the  shallow  pcbbly 
streams ;  cross  the  deep  and  rapid  creeks,  with  mutual  help  of 
I-inds  to  our  tottering  steps,  as  we  walked  the  unsteady  swinging 
trunk  that  bridged  them  over.  We  rambled  hand  in  hand  to  gather 


THE    PLANTER.  25 

wild  grapes  and  the  muscadine,  then  we  would  rest  beneath  the 
dense  shade,  and  at  the  foot  of  some  great  tree,  and  talk  of  our 
boyish  and  girlish  fancies ;  and  then  without  any  thought  as  to 
mutual  tastes,  character,  or  fitness,  or  any  thing  that  had 
to  do  with  the  future ;  but  listening  only  to  the  music  of  OUT 
young  voices ;  to  the  alluring  notes  of  surrounding  nature ;  and 
having  only  our  young  faces  to  admire,  we  loved ;  and  long  ere 
I  was  a  man,  we  were  married. 

It  was  about  this  time,  that  I  made  the  next  step  towards  the 
Islands  of  the  Indian  Ocean,  through  the  influence  of  a  wealthy 
and  intelligent  planter*  He  was  a  man  of  expanded  mind, 
and  enthusiastic  temperament;  and  had  a  great  relish  for 
travel,  and  bold  enterprise  in  unknown  countries.  He  often 
spoke  of  the  hidden  wealth  of  the  Eastern  world;  and  said 
how  it  had  been  a  dream  of  his  youth  to  go  into  the  heart 
of  Asia,  and  then  among  the  marvellous  islands  of  the  In 
dian  Ocean.  He  oftentimes  traced  out  a  route  on  the  East 
ern  Hemisphere,  which  I  followed  with  eager  eyes.  I  recalled 
again  the  first  impulse  given  to  my  boyish  imagination;  and 
now,  aroused  by  this  man's  fervor,  the  Sumatran  land  began  to 
gleam  in  revery  before  my  eyes  again ;  and  the  Indian  Ocean 
lay  outstretched,  a  shining  path  before  me,  even  in  those  early 
days,  leading  to  fortune  and  to  honorable  renown. 

The  region  of  country  in  which  I  dwelt,  the  upland  border  of 
the  state,  is  a  chosen  spot  of  nature  to  foster  the  ardor  of  young 
thoughts  of  novel  and  lofty  enterprise.  There  are  no  groupings 
of  earth,  and  woods,  and  streams,  that  offer  wilder  and  richer  pic 
tures,  than  can  be  seen  along  the  windings  of  the  Keowee,  so  deep 
ly  fringed  with  borders  of  laurel  and  muscadine ;  on  the  Wild 
Wolf  Creek,  from  the  mighty  beetling  crags  of  Table  Rock,  in 
the  sweet  valley  of  Jocassee,  on  "  Horse  Shoe"  Chauga,  fame4 


26  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

in  Kennedy's  romance,  and  then  beyond  Tugaloo  in  the  Currahee, 
in  the  rich  beauty  of  the  "  leaping  liquid  silver  "  of  Talula  and 
Tccoa;  and  thus  a  host  of  wild  and  lovely  vales,  and  frowning 
peaks,  and  shining  streams,  in  this  Switzerland  of  America,  were 
the  scenes  of  my  early  oriental  dreainings. 

I  was  indeed  but  a  dreamer  then;  in  those  days  before  I  be 
came  a  maa ;  or  I  had  not  found  my  calling.  I  felt  myself  fit  for 
little,  in  a  planting  country,  sparsely  peopled,  where  few  or  none 
were  wanted  but  those,  who  could  handle  the  plough,  the  hammer 
or  the  axe  ;  who  were  shrewd  in  the  exchange  of  peddlers'  wares ; 
or  could  drub  some  knowledge  of  books  into  rude  backwoods, 
barefooted  boys,  in  an  "  old-field-school,"  for  which  pursuits  I 
had  but  small  skill,  and  less  of  taste. 

I  longed  to  look  at  the  sea  again.  It  was  a  strong,  yearning 
wish  I  felt.  I  gazed  with  pleasure  on  the  swift  waters  of  the 
Savannah  ;  and  as  I  thought  of  them  flowing  on  towards  the 
ocean,  my  heart  almost  tempted  me,  at  times,  to  launch  forth  in 
a  well-stored  canoe,  descend  to  the  river's  mouth,  and  there  join 
any  great  ship  going  to  any  distant  land.  It  was  a  boy's 
thought ;  whilst  I  had  a  man's  cares  to  fix  me  in  my  back 
woods  home.  But  now,  in  the  midst  of  my  boyish  longings, 
death  came  to  chill  all  dreams,  and  cloud  my  life ;  yet  after  a 
time  my  young  widowed  heart  felt  free  to  range  again ;  and 
I  wanted  to  fly  on  the  wings  of  the  wind  towards  the  rising  of 
the  sun. 


FIFTH    DAY 

THE  Palmer  was  still  in  the  trade-winds  :  she  rolled  gently  yet 
swiftly  on,  under  a  full  spread  of  canvass :  the  sky  was  bright 
overhead,  with  a  skirt  of  white  fleecy  masses  just  above  the  ho 
rizon  :  the  watch  off  duty  lay  outstretched  on  the  t'gallant  fore 
castle,  basking  in  the  softened  rays  of  a  declining  tropic  sun ; 
and  the  passengers  were  lounging  on  the  settees  of  the  quarter 
deck,  or  leaning  over  the  t'gallant  rail,  watching  the  yellow  sea 
weed  floating  past  amid  the  deep  blue  waters,  when  he  of  the 
Southern  backwoods  sat  down  to  relate  his  departure  from  his 
early  home,  some  travels,  and  what  led  to 

THE  PURCHASE  OF  THE  FLIRT. 

I  left  a  curious  little  cabin  home,  on  the  banks  of  the  Savan 
nah.  It  had  been  the  work  of  my  own  hands,  and  of  that 
neighborly  help,  ever  so  readily  lent  by  the  Southern  planter 
and  backwoodsman.  It  was  a  rude  little  wooden  hut;  but  the 
pine  log  walls,  and  the  oak-board  roof,  and  the  mud  and  stick 
chimney  had  been  a  pleasant  home ;  and  the  corn  cake  baked  on 
my  own  hearth  stone  eat  sweetly  in  those  days,  when  coarse 
fare  and  a  draught  from  the  water  brooks  was  luxury. 

The  best  of  my  early  years  were  spent  on  the  waters  of  the 
Savannah :  on  both  of  its  banks, — on  the  Carolina,  and  on  the 


28  PRISON    OP    WELTEVREDEN. 

Georgia  side.  I  have  travelled  those  waters,  from  the  Tybee 
mouth  to  the  utmost  limit  where  a  steamer's  keel  can  run ;  then 
with  shoulder  to  a  boat  pole  have  urged,  with  slow  and  strain 
ing  step,  the  flat-bottomed  cotton  barge  up  to  the  shoals  on  the 
Seneca.  I  have  canoed  on  Keoweo  and  Twelve  Mile,  and  have 
waded,  or  crossed  on  some  simple  log,  every  branch  and  spring 
stream  running  down  from  the  Saluda  Hills  on  the  one  side,  and 
the  Currahee  on  the  other 

I  love  the  land  by  the  Savannah's  waters.  I  have  wandered 
over,  and  explored,  every  wood  and  hollow,  every  steep  and  ra 
vine,  from  Chatooga  and  Chauga,  from  Conneros  and  Generos- 
tee,  from  Twelve  Mile  and  Eighteen  to  Six  and  Twenty  on  the 
Carolina  side ;  and  then  from  Tugaloo  and  Tecoa,  from  Big  Ce 
dar  and  Little  Lightwood  Log,  to  the  Great  Broad  in  Georgia. 

I  love  the  people  that  live  by  these  waters;  the  clear-headed, 
generous,  independent  men ;  and  the  fair,  trusty,  warm-hearted 
women  of  the  southern  backwoods. 

I  lived  the  philosopher's  coveted  life,  in  my  early  unambi 
tious  years,  among  these  people,  in  these  woods,  and  by  these 
streams.  A  light  labor  got  me  all  I  wanted  then,  of  simple 
dress,  and  simple  food  :  the  homespun  garb,  both  inner  and  outer 
one,  from  the  coat  to.  the  stocking  feet,  was  carded,  spun,  dyed, 
woven,  and  made  up,  by  the  sam3  hands  that  cooked  the 
backwoods  fare.  And  I  cared  not  for  more  than  this  supply  of 
simple  wants,  and  my  pine  log  home. 

When  this  light  labor  was  laid  aside,  which  was  often  done, 
then  I  turned  to  other  toil,  with  my  rifle  and  hatchet  and  hunt 
ing  knife,  in  the  W9ods ;  and  I  roused  the  red  deer  abounding  in 
the  glens  and  valleys,  and  on  the  hill  sides  around  Oconee,  and 
the  Valhalla  of  later  days. 

In  one  of  my  chases  among  the  wilds  of  Pickens,    I  wu.s 


LEGENDARY    INDIAN    MINES.  29 

wooed  by  a  deep,  silent,  and  shaded  hollow  to  shelter  from  the 
noonday  heat,  and  take  my  hunting  meal ;  and  as  I  lay  on  a 
cool,  green  bank,  watching  the  leaping  and  eddying  play  of  a  lim 
pid  mountain  stream,  that  purled  and  brawled  over  its  pebbly 
bed,  I  saw  amid  the  bubbles  of  a  little  shoaly  point,  a  glistening 
speck  of  bright  metallic  lustre. 

I  found  among  slaty  and  crystalline  stones,  a  dark  pebble, 
bearing  upon  its  face  a  gout  of  pure,  white,  silvery  metal,  from 
which  the  dim  coating  of  native  ore  had  been  burnished,  when 
swollen  waters  had  hurried  it  onward  in  the  streamlet's  bed,  rub 
bing  against  its  fellows. 

The  glistening  of  that  metal  had  greater  charm  than  the 
chase  of  deer/  I  sought  along  the  stream  for  more  of  the  mate 
rial  of  coin,  of  which  so  little  was  seen  in  those  mountain  wilds  ; 
and  as  I  sought  I  came  to  a  curious  dent  in  the  streamlet's  bank, 
covered  with  the  growth  of  the  surrounding  ground,  but  which 
showed  that  the  hand  of  man  had  been  burrowing  in  that  wild 
glen  many  years  ago. 

I  then  recalled  some  backwoods  stories  of  the  Cherokees, 
when  masters  of  these  forests,  how  in  some  frontier  warfare  they 
had  dealt  out  death  with  silver  bullets,  found  in  some  mountain 
haunts,  never  seen  by  the  white  man's  eye. 

Many  a  search  had  been  made,  and  I  dare  say  is  making  to 
this  day,  to  find  out. the  silver  mines  known  to  the  Indians ;  and 
when  I  found  the  pebble  with  the  silvery  gout,  and  looked 
upon  the  cut  in  the  little  creek's  bank,  I  doubted  not  but  that 
I  had  fallen  upon  one  of  the  Indian  mines. 

I  returned  home  with  the  piece  of  shining  ore,  and  showed 
it  to  one  who  knew  much  about  gold,  and  silver  and  lead 
mining ;  and  he  at  once  pronounced  what  I  had  found  to  be  a 
piece  of  native  silver,  often  found  in  ductile  gouts  and  threads 


30  PRISON    OF   WELTEVHEDEN. 

on  the  surface  of  some  lump  of  the  dark  quartose  stony  ore,  in 
which  it  is  mostly  hid,  and  from  which  by  grinding,  and  by  heat 
or  metallic  flux  only  can  it  be  brought  forth. 

The  miner  made  rue  a  tempting  offer  to  lead  him  to  the  spot, 
where  I  had  found  the  silver  ore ;  but  I  cared  not  to  share  niy 
secret,  and  sought  it  again  alone.  I  went  this  time  with  pick 
and  spade,  to  dig  into  the  cut  in  the  creek  bank.  I  saw 
plainly,  that  the  bed  of  earth  into  which  I  dug  had  been 
before  disturbed,  and  was  like. the  filling  in  of  some  old  pit. 
I  pierced  through  this  mingled  soil,  and  came  to  a  bed  of 
dark  and  crystalline  rock  and  earth,  and  still  deeper  I  found  the 
same  dark  stone  and  quartz ;  and  of  this  I  brought  away  a  load 
not  knowing  whether  I  had  found  silver  or  not. 

The  miner's  mortar  and  crucible  showed  that  I  had  found  a 
silver  mine.  Now  there  were  visions  of  great  treasure,  and  of 
a  pomp  and  pride  of  wealth,  which  those  backwoods  had  never 
known ;  and  now  the  rude  forest  home,  and  the  simple  dress  and 
fare  had  lost  the  quiet  charm  which  once  they  had  worn  for  me. 

The  desire  arose  to  buy  the  lands  in  which  the  silver  was 
found ;  but  they  were  part'  of  a  great,  encumbered,  law-entan 
gled  domain;  and  so  utterly  rugged  and  barren,  that  no  one 
could  seek  their  purchase,  with  the  plea  of  wishing  to  till  the 
soil. 

Still  it  became  my  great  wish  to  own  this  land,  so  that  I 
could  work  out  the  imagined  silver  masses  unmolested;  but 
towards  the  carrying  out  of  this  wish,  my  chief  means  were  a 
rifle,  a  mule,  some  old  books,  and  the  little  furnishings  of  my 
rough  log  shelter. 

But  I  had  youth, — the  youth  of  nineteen;  and  a  large  share 
of  that  age's  ardor  and  over  sanguine  hopefulness  :  and  then  from 
my  point  of  view,  in  those  backwoods,  when  my  young  mind,  had 


CAUSE    OF    LEAVINU    THE    BACKWOODS.  31 

been  so  long  growing  up  untrammelled  and  luxuriant,  I  felt  not 
those  checks  in  looking  forward  to  any  achievement  of  fortune  or 
of  fame,  which  spring  from  the  discipline  of  arts  and  letters,  and 
the  training  of  society. 

In  speaking  of  this, — my  state  of  mind,  and  the  finding  of 
the  fancied  great  silver  mine, — I  merely  wish  to  tell  of  one,  the 
most  pleasing  one  to  the  curious  ear,  of  the  many  causes,  along 
with  the  death  I  have  spoken  of,  that  led  me  to  leave  peaco,  and 
quiet  joys,  and  a  simple  life  in  a  fair  sylvan  home,  to  go  ana 
enter  into  the  common  strife  for  gain  with  the  rest  of  the  money- 
groping  world. 

There  were  some  calls  to  common  practical  pursuits,  which 
led  me  into  the  business  world ;  but  beneath  this  outside  of  every 
day  toil,  there  glowed  the  hope  in  that  hopeful  time  to  get  the 
means  to  draw  forth  a  silver  wand  from  the  hills  of  Oconee,  that 
would  open  up  a  road  to  the  charmed  East ;  and  with  that  in 
view,  I  left  the  pine-log  home,  the  homely  fare,  the  homespun 
garb,  and  the  unfettered  life  of  the  backwoods. 

I  soon  learned  that  an  adventurous  spirit,  and  ambitious 
hopes,  and  all  lack  of  training  to  any  labor  of  the  head  or 
hands,  were  but  poor  stock  in  trade  among  the  busy  marts  of 
men ;  and  I  soon  felt  that  what  had  made  me  feel  so  rich  among 
the  forests,  would  in  the  city  keep  me  very  poor. 

The  drudge  and  the  routine  of  the  daily  life  of  trade,  soon 
drove  away  all  dreams  of  the  past.  But  wealth  was  eked  out  of 
this  dull  toil ;  even  as  the  bright  gold  is  dug  out  of  the  dull 
earth :  and  so  I  gained  some  fortune,  and  then  I  travelled. 

Of  my  ramblings  then,  it  is  not  my  object  to  speak ;  except 
to  glance  at  so  much  as  led  to  the  once  longed-for  journeyings 
in  the  East. 

Among  other  countries,  I  travelled  throughout  the  republic 


32  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

of  Mexico.  I  followed  the  track  of  Scott's  conquering  army : 
by  the  battlements  of  Ulua;  through  the  -woody  pass  of  Cerro 
Gordo :  at  Plan  del  Rio,  Jalapa,  Perote,  Puebla ;  and  then 
among  the  smiling  huertas,  overtopped  by  the  snowy  peak  of  Ori- 
zava. 

I  saw  something  of  the  havoc  at  Molino  del  Rey,  and  upon 
the  cypress  steeps  of  Chapultepec.  Then  I  wandered  by  Chalco ; 
and  mounted  to  the  snows  of  the  Muger  Blanca  :  visited  the 
silver  lands  of  Guanajuato,  and  ranged  through  miles  of  hot  gal 
leries,  down  a  thousand  feet  and  more  in  the  earth's  bowels,  in 
those  old  emptied  metal  veins  of  Rayas,  La  Luz,  and  Valencini- 
ana ;  from  whence  dollars  are  still  poured  out,  by  millions  every 
year.  And  here  I  thought  of  the  Peruvian,  whose  mountain 
chase  led  him  to  the  silver-loaded  caverns  of  Potosi ;  and  then  I 
thought  of  the  silver  gout  and  the  creek  bank  by  Oconee. 

I  was  in  the  hot  plains,  in  the  Tierra  Caliente,  and  sojourned 
at  Cuernavaca,  at  the  old  hacienda  of  Cortez  of  Atlacamulco; 
then  explored  the  hand  wrought  halls  and  corridors  within  the 
womb  of  Montezuma's  mount  of  Xochycalco, — abode  at  Mia- 
catlan,  Tcmisco,  and  Cocoyotlan, — visited  the  Aztec  republics  in 
the  hills, — went  a  day's  journey  within  the  wondrous  caverns  of 
Cacahuamilpa ;  and  then  on  the  road  to  Acapulco,  looked  forth 
towards  the  Pacific,  and  thought  of  early  plans  of  fortune  and 
renown  as  I  looked  on  the  pathway  to  the  East. 

I  became  known  to  many  of  the  leading  men  of  Spanish 
America  abroad ;  and  soon  formed  a  large  circle  of  South  Ame 
rican  friends  on  my  return  home.  There  was  one, — a  diplomat 
from  a  Central  American  State,  who  offered  me  a  gratifying  po 
sition,  and  prospect  of  great  moneyed  gain,  if  I  would  fit  out  and 
equip  a  small,  swift  and  stout-built  vessel,  for  the  service  of  his 
government,  which  I  resolved  to  do. 


THE    PURCHASE    OF    THE    FLIRT.  33 

I  found  the  craft  that  was  needed, — a  man-of-war  built  schooner, 
long  and  low  in  the  hull,  broad  in  the  beam,  sharp  at  the  bows, 
with  raking  masts,  and  large  yards.  Some  six  and  ninety  feet 
in  the  length  of  her  keel, — four  and  twenty,  the  width  of  her 
beam;  and  her  burthen  less  than  one  hundred  tons,  though 
admeasured  to  be  three  and  fifty  more. 

I  had  the  schooner  fitted  up  with  great  care  in  her  equipment, 
and  taste  in  her  adornment.  She  was  to  be  the  nucleus  of  a  lit 
tle  fleet  of  a  small  republic,  whose  banner  had  never  yet  floated 
over  a  keel  of  its  own ;  but  now  the  pennant  of  a  Centralian 
flag  ship  was  to  float  from  the  masthead  of  the  Flirt. 

Her  hull  was  repaired,  her  copper  cleaned,  her  decks  calked, 
her  shrouds  set  up,  her  running  gear  all  rove,  her  crew  aboard, 
and  about  to  bend  on  her  new  suit  of  sails,  when  trouble  and 
loss  ensued,  and  the  pleasant  and  harmless  scheme  of  the 
Centralian  navy  failed ;  yet  still,  I  held  the  Flirt,  and  I  longed 
to  have  a  sail  in  her.  I  had  lost  the  chances  of  winning  great 
profit  and  naval  glory ;  but  my  beauteous  ship  was  ready  for  sea ; 
the  sea,  on  which  I  had  longed  so  much  to  range,  in  a  vessel  of 
my  own. 

You  will  not  care  to  know  all  the  causes  that  should  have 
stayed  me,  or  that  sent  me  forth.  A  vessel  was  on  my  hands, 
bought  for  a  purpose  which  could  not  be  achieved.  She  was  not 
fit  for  the  common  carrying  of  trade.  Her  sale  would  have  been 
a  great  sacrifice  at  home,  which  was  so  promiseful  of  profit 
abroad ;  and  so  I  thought  I  had  sonic  cause  to  make  a  venture 
in  the  little  ship,  and  felt ;  being  most  willing  to  believe,  that 
Providence  bid  me  go. 


Let  me  glance  back  to  a  soft  sunny  afternoon  on  the  19th  of 

2* 


34  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

May,  1851.  I  am  reclining  on  Beacon  Hill,  on  Block  Island, 
with  telescope  in  hand,  ranging  the  horizon,  and  scanning  every 
sail  that  breaks  the  ocean  line,  or  looms  up  from  behind  Mon- 
tauk  Point.  Each  mackerelman  coming  out  of  Buzzard's  Bay, 
with  a  square  foretopsail,  has  been  the  object  of  my  eager  gaze, 
— and  for  three  weary  days  the  mackerelmen  have  mocked  my 
straining  eyes. 

Once  more  a  square  foretopsail  heaves  in  sight,  with  low  hull 
and  raking  spars ;  but  she  stands  off  from  the  island,  and  bears 
up  channel  towards  Point  Judith.  I  wave  a  little  flag  from  the 
Beacon  heights,  and  now  she  heads  up  for  the  island  shore,  and 
signals  are  in  her  shrouds :  I  run  down  to  the  beach, — a  fisher 
man  is  about  to  push  off  in  his  boat.  I  want  to  jump  in  with 
him;  but  rumor  has  filled  the  island  with  wild  stories  of  a 
strange  craft  hovering  on  the  coasts,  and  he  refuses  to  pull  me 
to  the  dark,  dashing  little  craft,  now  backing  her  foresail,  with 
in  a  mile,  off  shore.  I  offer  five,  ten,  all  the  dollars  I  have, — 
and  at  last  am  afloat  in  the  fisherman's  skiff,  and  soon  alongside 
of,  and  on  board  the  Flirt. 

We  ran  up  to  Newport,  came  to  anchor,  and  spent  there  the 
night,  the  next  day,  and  got  under  way  again  on  the  morning 
of  the  following  day.  As  we  stood  out  of  the  harbor,  a  well 
manned  cutter  loosed  her  sails,  and  bore  up  in  our  wake, 
seemingly  wishful  to  dare  the  Flirt  to  her  best,  and  so  we 
crowded  on  all  sail,  running  swiftly  down  past  the  sandy  flat  of 
Conanicut,  and  threading  our  way  with  ease,  among  and  ahead 
of  the  fleet  of  mackerelmen  that  whitened  the  Narraganset 
Bay.  Block  Island  again  is  passed ;  the  last  dim  line  of  land 
is  lost  to  view,  and  of  all  that  we  left  behind  that  morning,  the 
last  speck  that  breaks  the  receding  horizon's  verge,  is  the  pursu 
ing  cutter,  which  soon  is  gone,  and  the  Flirt  is  fairly  out  at  sea. 


THE    PURCHASE    OF    THE    FLIRT.  35 


The  Boatswain 'had  drawn  near,  on  hearing  the  name  of  the 
schooner.  He  had  kn-own  her  well,  when  she  was  with  the  Gulf 
Squadron,  and  at  Vera  Cruz.  It  was  to  him  like  the  hearing 
about  an  old  friend ;  and  he  told  how  that  she  was  the  stiffest 
little  sea-boat  that  ever  sailed  out  of  Chesapeake  Bay,  on  the 
eastern  coast  of  which  she  was  built.  She  had  run  down  many 
a  degree  with  exploring  Wilkes,  and  the  gallant  Nicholson ;  and 
with  many  a  story  of  the  old  cruisings  of  the  Flirt,  the  ex-man- 
of-war  boatswain  amused  the  passengers  of  the  Palmer,  on  the 
evening  of  the  fifth  day  of  her  homeward  voyage  from  Java. 


SIXTH  DAY. 

THERE  were  eleven  persons  in  all,  who  sailed  in  the  Flirt  for 
Brazil.  There  was  a  young  man  in  the  cabin,  who  had  done 
much  in  the  fitting  of  her  out,  and  was  now  passenger  for 
Bahia.  He  had  introduced  a  friend  to  the  owner,  once  a 
naval  captain's  clerk,  afterwards  a  trader's  mate,  and  now  was 
chosen  master  of  the  schooner. 

The  mate  was  a  stout,  gaunt  man-o'war's-man,  who  dropped 
from  the  stern  of  the  St.  Lawrence  frigate  one  night  into  a  fish 
ing  boat,  and  joined  the  schooner.  He  shipped  as  seaman,  but 
took  the  place  of  a  former  mate,  who  ran  away  from  the  Flirt 
on  her  leaving  port. 

There  were  five  men  before  the  mast ;  three  Americans,  one 
Italian,  and  one  Chilian;  besides  these,  an  old  Spanish  cook; 
then  the  owner  and  his  servant,  and  these  were  all  who  sailed  in 
the  Flirt  for  Brazil. 

She  had  a  small  cargo,  as  ballast,  some  eighty  tons  of  ice — 
had  no  armament, — not  one  cannon,  not  a  keg  of  powder,  nor 
any  small  arms,  not  a  musket  or  rifle ;  and  there  was  nothing 
except  a  small,  breach-loading  carbine,  two  small  brass  pistols, 
which  the  master  carried  in  his  breeches  pockets,  two  old  rusty 
war-pikes,  and  a  harpoon ;  nothing  else  but  these  for  offence  or 
defence  were  on  board  of  the  Flirt,  when  she  sailed  from  Ameri 
ca  in  1851. 

She  was  soon  in  the  fogs  and  squalls  of  the  tepid  Gulf 
Stream,  and  the  little  craft  being  in  bad  trim,  labored  heavily. 


THE    MUTINEER.  37 

The  owner  became  very  sick,  and  lay  for  many  days  in  his  berth. 
His  cabin  companions  were  better  seamen,  and  fed  well  and 
drank  well,  whilst  he  was  a  prey  to  nausea. 

He  remained  full  a  month  below,  with  only  a  chance  venture 
on  deck,  and  knew  little  of  the  ship's  progress,  or  of  the  state 
of  affairs  on  board,  except  as  reported  to  him.  He  began  to  hear 
stories  from  his  servant  of  dislike  shown  by  the  men  for  the 
master ;  the  stories  increased, — the  trouble  grew  greater ;  and  he 
felt  that  he  must  arouse,  if  he  would  save  his  ship. 

There  was  a  man  on  board,  who  was  the  type  of  the  tradi 
tional  mutineer :  short,  thickset,  with  a  thick  upturned  nose,  on 
a  mottled,  gnarled  face,  hedged  around  with  coarse,  black,  bushy 
hair.  He  was  the  first  to  slight  orders,  and  then  with  malicious 
and  wanton  bravado,  stood  on  the  t'gallant  forecastle,  with  a 
mock  quadrant  in  his  hand,  mimicking,  in  an  insulting  way, 
the  action  of  the  master  in  taking  an  observation  of  the  sun. 

This  was  unheeded  for  a  while,  till  the  master  spoke  in  half 
jeering  half  threatening  words  about  the  man's  mimicry;  to 
which  he  replied ;  and  then  the  master  unwisely  bandied  words 
with  the  man  for  a  time.  The  latter  was  ordered  to  be  silent 
and  go  forward,  but  he  answered  with  effrontery,  setting  the 
master's  authority  at  defiance. 

The  spirit  of  mutiny  was  on  board,  and  if  not  quelled  the 
vessel  would  be  in  danger.  It  was  necessary  to  put  the  rebel 
sailor  in  irons ;  but  he  refused  to  yield  to  the  master's  order,  and 
the  crew  stood  back,  with  an  air  that  showed  they  were  ready  to 
join  whichever  party  should  be  conqueror. 

By, the  help  of  the  owner  and  his  Italian  servant,  the  mu 
tineer  was  secured  in  the  forecastle,  whither  he  had  sullenly  re 
treated  with  the  harpoon  in  his  hand, — he  was  brought  up  on 


38  PRISON    OF    WELTEVKEDEN. 

deck,  manacled  both  hand  and  foot,  and  then  put  down  into  the 
run  of  the  cabin,  over  which  a  grating  was  placed. 

After  a  few  days  stay  in  this  close,  dark  hole,  and  being  fed 
on  biscuit  and  water  alone,  the  bull-dog  pluck  gave  way,  and  the 
sturdy  rebel  begged  to  be  released,  promising  to  ask  the  masters 
pardon,  and  to  do  his  duty  better  and  quieter  than  before. 

He  was  let  loose,  and  there  was  quiet  on  board  again ;  but, 
the  peace  was  short.  There -arose  complaints  about  the  food, 
about  the  mode  and  filth  of  the  cookery.  The  Spanish  cook  was 
removed,  and  the  Italian  was  installed  in  the  caboose  in  his 
stead  :  but  the  new  cook  pleased  no  better  than  the  former.  The 
spirit  of  complaint  was  abroad  in  the  ship.  The  master  was 
mocked  more  than  before.  His  orders  were  disobeyed,  and  in 
subordination  reigned  on  board  the  Flirt. 

On  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  July,  whilst  the  master  and  the 
owner  were  standing  by  the  cabin  companion-way  hatch,  all  of 
the  crew  came  aft  in  a  quiet  manner,  with  the  late  mutineer  at 
their  head. 

He  began  to  speak  about  the  old  grievance  of  the  cookery, 
and  then  of  the  need  of  water,  and  some  fresh  provisions.  But 
the  chief  complaint  was  that  he  and  his  shipmates  did  not  know 
where  they  were,  and  they  did  not  believe  that  the  master  knew. 
He  then  said  that  they  had  been  six  weeks  at  sea,  with  a  sharp- 
built,  fast-sailing,  stout  and  steady  craft,  lightly  loaded  ;  and  yet, 
by  reason  of  sailing  by  the  wind  nearly  all  the  time,  and  taking 
in  sail  at  the  sight  of  every  cat's  paw,  they  had  not  crossed  tho 
Line,  a  run  of  some  twenty  odd  days  from  home ;  but  seemed 
to  be  a  long  way  off,  baffling  about  in  the  "variables  ".on  the 
skirt  of  the  North  Atlantic  trade-winds. 

lie  went  on  to  say,  that  he  and  the  crew  had  lost  all  con 
fidence  in  the  seamanship  of  the  master;  and  as  they  were 


STEER  FOR  PORTO  PRAYA.  39 

about  to  run  short  of  many  stores,  they  demanded  that  the  schoon 
er  should  make  for  the  nearest  place,  where  a  supply  could  be  ob 
tained. 

During  this  harangue  the  master  had  gone  down  into  the 
cabin,  and  as  he  remained  there  when  the  man  had  ceased 
speaking,  the  owner  addressed  the  crew,  saying,  that  the 
master  could  have  no  object,  either  in  going  slowly,  or  in  run 
ning  off  his  course ;  and  as  he  was  the  only  one  on  board  who 
could  make  any  pretensions  to  navigation,  it  was  absolutely  ne 
cessary  that  they  should  still  trust  to  his  direction.  The  leader 
of  the  crew  then  replied,  that  there  was  bad  feeling  and  plotting 
on  board,  and  it  was  the  interest  of  the  owner  and  all  concerned 
to  steer  for  the  nearest  port,  so  that  ill-sorted  people  might  part 
company,  as  well  as  to  get  needed  supplies. 

It  was  resolved  to  do  so;  and  that  evening,  in  concert  with  the 
master,  the  vessel  was  headed  for  Porto  Praya,  the  nearest 
place  to  get  supplies ;  although  the  distance  was  but  a  little  less 
than  to  the  nearest  port  on  the  coast  of  South  .America ;  but 
they  counted  upon  a  favoring  wind  all  the  Avay,  and  hoped  to 
make  the  run  to  Porto  Praya  in  one  third  of  the  time  that  they 
would  be  in  reaching  the  nearest  point  of  the  coast  of  Brazil. 
The  vessel  was  now  very  much  lightened :  her  ballast  was 
apparently  all  melted  away:  the  schooner  having  risen  con 
siderably  out  of  the  water,  and  fresh  water  had  been  pumped 
out  of  the  hold  for  about  two  weeks. 

Baffling  winds  followed  the  Flirt  on  her  course  to  Porto  Praya. 
What  had  been  supposed  would  be  a  run  of  about  one  week  or 
less,  was  lengthened  to  eighteen  days.  On  her  way  thither, 
she  met  the  Sumter,  commanded  by  Captain  Reid,  from  Cork, 
with  300  troops  on  board,  bound  for  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 


40  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

The  owner  and  master  went  on  board  the  transport  ship,  and 
obtained  several  things  of  which  they  were  in  greatest  need. 

They  entered  the  harbor  of  Porto  Praya  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
22d  of  July.  The  owner  immediately  went  ashore  with  the 
master,  and  called  at  the  American  consulate :  the  consul  was  ab 
sent  from  the  island,  and  they  found  a  young  Americanized  Por 
tuguese,  having  been  educated  in  the  United  States,  acting  in  his 
stead,  and  with  him  made  arrangements  to  obtain  some  water,  and 
various  ship  stores. 

On  the  third  day  after  their  arrival,  when  the  owner  thought 
he  had  adjusted  the  various  disagreements  on  board,  and  had 
requested  the  master  to  go  ashore  to  make  some  final  purchases 
prior  to  their  departure,  whilst  he  remained  on  board  to  make 
ready  for  a  start,  the  Captain  of  the  Port  came  alongside  the 
Flirt  to  inform  him,  that,  in  compliance  with  the  request  of  the 
acting  American  consul,  the  commandant  of  the  Fort  of  Porto 
Praya  desired  the  owner  and  the  mate  of  the  Flirt  to  appear 
before  him. 

They  were  led  into  the  presence  of  Major  Morraes,  the  com 
mandant  of  the  troops,  and  acting  Governor  of  the  Island  of  St. 
Jago,  where  they  found  the  American  consular  representative, 
the  Captain  of  the  Port,  the  master  of  the  Flirt  and  his  friend 
in  the  cabin ;  and  then  they  learned  that  the  master  felt  ag 
grieved  about  his  loss  of  authority  at  sea,  and  was  anxious  for 
an  official  investigation  of  the  matter. 

The  Governor  had  an  authority  from  a  U.  S.  naval  commander 
to  examine  the  papers  of  American  ships  touching  at  Porto  Praya, 
and  all  evidences  of  the  legality  of  their  voyage.  He  instituted 
a  close  and  judicious  inquiry,  and  in  a  short  time  he  underwent  a 
very  decided  change  of  opinion  in  regard  to  the  affair,  to  what 
had  been  previously  created  in  his  mind. 


COMMANDANT    MORRAES.  41 

The  master's  mind  seemed  also  to  have  undergone  a  change 
for  before  the  audience  closed,  he  fully  concurred  with  Major  Mor 
raes,  in  the  view  that  he  had  taken  of  the  difficulties  at  sea ,  but 
he  wished  to  return  home,  and  so  the  owner  was  constrained  to 
part  with  his  navigator, — whose  friend  left  the  schooner  at  the 
same  time. 

What  else  ensued,  the  owner  of  the  Flirt  related  thus  to  his 
fellow-passengers  on  board  the  Palmer : 

After  this  I  stayed  three  more  days  at  Porto  Praya.  Com 
mandant  Morraes  pointed  out  to  me  what  there  was  curious  in 
the  island  of  St.  Jago,  of  which  Praya  is  the  capital.  This  is  a 
crumbling  ruin  of  old  Portuguese  power ;  once  a  flourishing  ren 
dezvous  for  the  ships  of  King  John  and  Emmanuel,  and  the 
great  Prince  Henry  of  Portugal,  when  Yasco  de  Gama  doubled 
Africa's  farthest  southern  point ;  and  when  bold  Sequeira,  the 
conquering  Albuquerque  and  heroic  Galvan  followed  after  him  to 
the  conquest  of  the  Indies,  and  of  the  islands  of  South-eastern 
Asia. 

A  few  old  guns, — many  useless  and  dismounted, — line  the 
edge  of  the  rocky  bluff  upon  which  the  ruin  of  Praya  stands, 
defended  by  some  two  or  three  hundred  ragged  negroes  and  con 
vict  Portuguese,  who  subsist  on  theft,  and  some  scanty  rations 
of  coarse  food ;  for  the  worthy  Governor  informed  me,  that  he 
had  not  received  any  pay,  or  any  attention  from  the  Home 
Government,  for  about  eighteen  months ;  but  as  he  had  spent 
some  twenty-two  years  of  his  life  there,  and  elsewhere  on  the 
coast  of  Africa,  he  felt  some  pride  to  keep  up  a  show  of  power 
as  he  best  could. 

Commandant  Morraes  seemed  to  be  a  disappointed  man, 
infirm  and  soul-weary.  He  had  commanded  at  Mozambique,  and 
had  dreamed  of  advancing  the  pillars  of  Portuguese  dominion  on 


42  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

Madagascar,  and  to  all  the  old  landmarks  in  the  East ;  but  the 
spirit  that  founded  empire  in  the  Brazils,  that  girded  Africa 
with  forts,  and  that  built  up  Goa  and  conquered  Malacca,  was 
dead  in  his  country.  A  vicious  and  distracted  court,  and  a  cor 
rupt  aristocracy  at  home,  needed  every  milrea  of  a  lean  ex 
chequer  for  Braganza's  dynastic  struggles,  and  to  revel  in  Lisbon's 
hideous  vice. 

The  Commandant  seemed  to  wake  up  to  some  of  his  old  ad 
venturous  fire,  as  we  talked  together,  and  as  he  listened  to  some 
of  my  reveries  and  purposes.  He  glanced  at  the  remnant  of 
Portuguese  possessions,  and  hinted  at  what  might  be  done  with 
them.  The  Cape  de  Verdes  were  an  abandoned  group  of  once 
fair  islands,  in  ruinous  state,  every  now  and  then  devoted  to 
famine.  St.  Jago  lived  on  the  visits  of  strangers,  Mayo  was  a 
mere  salt-pan,  and  St.  Vincent  a  foreign  steamship  station.  At 
Mozambique,  a  feeble,  neglected  garrison  was  cooped  up  by  the 
barbarian  queen  of  Madagascar,  and  Portuguese  power  struggled 
for  an  existence  upon  that  island.  The  glory  of  Goa  was  gone  ; 
the  trade  of  Macao  had  been  drained  by  the  thrifty  Hong-Kong ; 
and  the  turreted  white  flag  waved  no  longer  in  the  great  East 
ern  Aichipelago,  except  at  the  penal  ruin  of  Dhelli  on  Timor. 

Portugal  wanted  some  young  and  unvitiatcd  energies  to  raise 
up  her  scattered  ruins,  and  turn  them  to  profit.  America  had 
ample  means,  abundant  small  capitals,  controlled  by  young  and 
energetic  heads,  ready  to  embark  in  any  hazard  promiseful  of 
profit,  and  some  national  fame ;  and  why  not  buy  the  Cape  de 
Verdes,  or  Mozambique,  or  Timor  ?  for  the  Commandant  spoke, 
as  though  he  thought  the  Anglo-American  people  were  in  the 
market,  for  the  purchase  of  every  misgoverned,  half-ruined  spot 
of  earth,  where  any  planting,  or  trading,  or  mining  could  be  car 
ried  on. 


THE    INVALID    DAUGHTER.  43 

The  worthy  major  dwelt  especially  upon  the  advantage  of 
the  purchase  of  the  Cape  de  Verde  islands,  to  make  good  plan 
tations  out  of  their  generous  soil,  with  the  plentiful  black  labor 
which  vagabonded  over  it  in  ragged  uselessness,  as  bad  as  when  in 
the  jungles  of  Africa ;  and  these  might  be  obtained  for  the  price  of 
one  good  estate  in  America. 

But  I  felt  no  interest  in  the  Cape  de  Verdes,  with  all  the 
profit  and  power  that  might  be  created  out  of  their  wastes,  and 
ruins,  and  their  motley  population  of  vagabonds.  I  would  not 
have  been  tempted  by  an  offer  of  change  of  place  with  the  wor 
thy  Governor, — to  give  up  my  taut,  trim,  well-appointed  little 
Flirt,  to  lord  it  over  the  ruin-crowned  bluffs  of  Porto  Praya, 
and  its  breechless  black  garrison. 

I  was  soon  eager  to  be  at  sea  once  more.  The  Commandant 
wished  me  to  change  my  course  from  Bahia  to  Lisbon.  My 
cargo  for  the  former  part  was  almost  gone ;  and  in  a  few  days 
there  would  not  be  left  on  board  the  Flirt  a  diamond  of  the 
Rockland  Lake,  of  the  size  of  one  of  the  smallest  brilliants  of 
Brazil.  By  going  to  Lisbon,  I  would  most  likely  obtain  a  cargo 
for  South  America,  and  I  would  see  some  interesting  portion  of 
the  old  world. 

Major  Morraes  had  an  only,  a  motherless  child — an  inva 
lid  daughter  just  entering  into  womanhood — whom  he  wished  to 
send  away  from  her  dreary  home  at  Porto  Praya,  where  she 
drooped  daily,  to  live  with  some  relatives  in  the  gay  metropolis 
of  the  home  land ;  and  he  proposed  to  charter  my  cabin  for  the 
passage  of  his  daughter  and  her  domestics. 

I  could  not  have  refused  the  surrender  of  my  comforts  to  the 
sick  lady,  had  there  been  no  other  conveyance ;  but  there  were 
Portuguese  vessels  in  port,  homeward  bound.  I  did  not  wish  to 
go  then  to  the  old  world ;  I  did  not  wish  to  see  Lisbon,  and  I 


44  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

found  a  plea  not  to  go,  though  much  I  desired  to  escort  home 
the  fair  child  of  Major  Morraes. 

On  the  sixth  day  after  casting  anchor  at  Porto  Praya,  I  was 
ready  again  for  sea.  The  water  casks  were  filled,  and  the 
schooner's  stern  was  garnished  with  plantains,  and  yams,  and  two 
lean  pigs.  For  these  I  was  indebted  to  the  poor  Commandant, 
and  in  return,  I  presented  him  with  a  piece  of  curtain  tapestry, 
two  small  silver  cups,  and  some  other  trifles. 

I  appointed  the  mate  to  take  the  place  of  the  sailing-master 
who  had  left ;  and  found  at  Porto  Praya  a  Swede,  who  filled  the 
berth  of  the  promoted  first  officer.  Both  had  no  other  know 
ledge  of  seamanship  but  the  commonest  duty  of  a  man  before  the 
mast;  and  I,  notwithstanding  my  many  voyages  at  sea,  was  no 
sailor,  and  I  was  not  qualified  then  to  take  charge  of  the  navi 
gation  of  a  vessel. 


The  Commandant  came  down  to  the  beach,  to  wave  me  an 
adieu,  as  I  dashed  through  the  heavy  surf  that  rolls  into  Porto 
Praya.  He  had  just  parted  with  his  daughter,  and  was  heavy- 
hearted.  The  Flirt  had  her  anchor  apeak,  her  sails  were  un 
furled,  and  I  soon  gladly  welcomed  the  ocean  heave  and  the  ocean 
air  once  more.  As  the  crumbling  ramparts,  and  the  rocky  crest 
of  Porto  Praya  faded  to  the  view,  we  passed  a  brigantine,  that  had 
left  the  roadstead  some  hours  before  us ;  and  this  was  the  Rosa 
de  Lima,  bearing  to  Lisbon  the  invalid  daughter. 

The  chronometer  had  been  ruined  by  some  hand  that  had  left 
us  at  Porto  Praya ;  and  all  time  tables  and  other  guides  for  reck 
oning  at  sea,  were  found  gone,  when  the  need  of  them  arose, — 
and  it  seemed  a  wild  risk  to  run  a  small  ship  across  the  ocean 
without  any  guide  of  art,  or  a  skilful  hand  on  board;  but  I 


SABBATH  ON  BOARD  THE  PALMER.  45 

thought  not  of  the  risk,  because  I  did  not  know,  and  could  not 
feel  its  full  extent ;  and  so,  with  faith  in  a  Hand  that  had  led  me 
safe  o'er  many  a  strange  path  before,  I  struck  out  with  compass 
alone  to  guide  my  little  ship,  across  the  ocean,  for  the  coast  of 
Brazil. 


SEVENTH  DAY. 

SABBATH  ON  BOARD  THE  PALMER. 

A  FLOOD  of  golden  rays,  gilding  and  shining  through  a  pyramid 
of  soft  fleecy  clouds,  reaching  from  the  ocean  line  to  the  sky 
vault's  top,  led  in  a  Sabbath  of  calm  and  softened  sunniness. 

The  crew  had  worked  on  the  Lord's  day  before ;  and  the. 
commander  of  the  Flirt,  and  his  fellow-passengers,  had  then 
passed  a  day  of  painful  turmoil  and  unrest;  and  all  seemed 
glad  to  give  this  one  to  still  repose,  and  musing  thoughts  alone. 

When  the  sun's  rays  no  longer  shot  down  from  overhead  be 
tween  the  sails,  but  came  slanting,  and  were  caught  by  the  can 
vas  fore  and  aft,  leaving  the  polished  deck  in  shade,  the  men 
of  the  Palmer  came  with  clean  shirts  and  shining  faces,  and, 
ranged  in  order,  sat  down  against  the  bulwarks ;  whilst  the  peo 
ple  of  the  cabin  sat  by,  on  the  break  of  the  quarter  deck ;  then  the 
young  Missionary  standing  up  in  the  midst,  read  from  the  word 
of  God,  and  spoke  of  the  Redemption ;  and  this  was  the  story  on 
board  the  Palmer  on  the  seventh  evening  of  her  homeward  voyage 
from  Java. 


EIGHTH    DAY. 

A  VISIT    AT    SEA. 

THE  tenth  day«ifter  leaving  Porto  Praya  we  were  some  few 
degrees  south  of  the  Line,  and  it  was  one  of  the  blandest  of  those 
gently  breezy  trade-wind  latitudes.  The  light  wafts  of  air  over  a 
tranquil  sea,  barely  filled  the  schooner's  mainsail,  and  she  glided  on 
an  even  keel;  yet  swiftly  on,  through  the  yielding  flood  of  placid 
blue; — for  this  was  her  play, — a  light  wind  and  a  smooth  sea; — 
and  in  it  she  could  count  sea  knots,  far  faster,  than  the  great 
leviathan  clippers  of  the  ocean. 

The  wavelets  rippling  against  her  sides, — the  faint  creak 
ing  of  the  spars  aloft, — the  mainsail's  lazy  flap  from  time  to  time, 
and  the  low  murmur  of  the  tropic  breeze,  wafting  us  so  gently 
on; — these  sounds,  and  the  balmy  air, — the  clear  rose-tinted 
sky,  the  ocean's  blue  and  heaving  breast,  strewn  with  golden 
threads  and  bulbs,  the  yellow  weed  from  ocean's  fields ;  all  this — 
these  sights  and  sounds,  and  breezy  kissings,  filled  my  soul  with 
a  gush  of  grateful  feeling. 

A  sense  of  relief  from  cares  and  fears,  just  gone  by, — a  spirit 
of  pride  in  treading  the  deck  of  my  own  swift  and  graceful  craft, 
and  a  feeling  of  glorious  freedom,  of  unchecked  power  to  range 
the  world  at  will,  stole  over  my  soul ;  and  I  felt  heedless,  which 
way  my  clipper  headed  on  this  bland,  breezy,  trade-wind  sea. 

There  was  a  cry  of,  Sail  ho  ! — a  stirring  sound  at  all  times, 


THE  FRENCH  BRIO.  47 

and  in  all  places ;  but  more  so,  amid  the  great  wastes  of  the  less 
frequented  parts  of  the  ocean.  I  examined  with  my  glass  the 
speck  just  visible  to  the  sailor's  eye,  and  made  out  a  large  brig, 
some  three  points  off  our  lee  bow,  and  heading  north-east. 

I  had  been  wishing  to  speak  a  vessel,  on  account  of  some  little 
wants  and  information  which  we  needed ;  and  now  ordered  the 
schooner  to  be  headed  so  as  to  run  athwart  the  path  of  the  stranger ; 
but,  as  with  a  slightly  freshening  breeze,  we  began  to  near  him, 
he  bore  away,  going  right  before  the  wind,  clapping  on  stu'n- 
sails,  and  every  inch  of  canvas  that  his  spars  could  bear. 

The  retreating  brig  played  shy  in  vain,  for  the  taut  and 
saucy  schooner,  with  mainsail  tilled,  bore  swiftly  down  upon  the 
clumsy  merchantman.  We  ran  up  the  stars  and  stripes,  which 
were  answered  by  the  tri-color  of  France ;  but  this  time  the 
Frenchman  was  shy  of  the  old  ally  of  his  country,  and  wishful  to 
give  him  a  wide  berth ;  for  here  was  a  suspected  portion  of  ocean 
highway,  between  the  two  coasts  of  Brazil  and  Africa,  where 
lawless  adventure  had  been  so  often  met  with  under  the  starry 
bunting  of  freedom,  and  on  board  of  such  craft  as  mine. 

The  long,  dark  hull,  and  sharpened  bow,  the  range  of  ports, 
the  raking  masts,  the  heavy  spars,  and  great  spread  of  canvas ; 
all  this  coupled  with  the  present  course, — a  seeming  chase,  might 
give  indeed  a  suspicious  look,  and  fill  the  trader's  mind  with  some 
fear  of  having  met  a  lawless  rover. 

The  Flirt  sped  on ;  she  was  soon  close  upon  the  brig ;  she  ran 
under  his  quarter ;  then,  to  show  the  ease  with  which  she  could 
walk  around  him,  shot  ahead,  luffed  in  the  wind's  eye,  backed 
foresail,  and  came  to,  easy,  graceful,  and  still,  as  a  sea-bird  rest 
ing  on  the  crest  of  a  wave. 

The  Frenchman  answered  our  manoeuvre,  by  coming  to  also. 
Ere  the  Flirt  had  stayed  her  headway,  my  light  and  graceful  gig 


48  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

was  loosened  from  the  davits ;  aiid  ere  the  ripple  was  stilled  by 
the  schooner's  sides,  I  was  afloat  with  my  mate  and  four  oarsmen, 
pulling  towards  the  stranger. 

A  lot  of  red  caps  and  excited  faces  lined  the  bulwarks  of  the 
brig.  I  mounted  the  sides,  by  help  of  a  tasteful  man-rope.  As 
I  stepped  over  the  gangway,  I  was  met  with  bows  and  smiles,  min 
gled  with  an  anxious,  inquiring  shade  of  look,  from  a  short,  stout 
little  man,  who  stood  cap  in  hand,  in  the  midst  of  an  evidently 
intensely  excited  and  curious  crew. 

After  giving  a  cheerful  response  to  the  little  man's  salute,  he 
led  me,  without  premising  with  one  word  of  parley,  into  a  tasteful 
marquee  or  cabin  on  the  main  deck.  I  was  saluted,  on  entering, 
with  a  shrill,  harsh  clamor,  from  macaws,  parrots,  monkeys  and 
marniozets,  hung  around  in  cages,  or  chained  in  the  saloon.  The 
polite  commander  hastened  to  inform  ine,  that  he  had  lately  ob 
tained  them  on  the  coast  of  Brazil,  and  had  sailed  from  Para- 
hiba,  ten  days  ago,  with  a  load  of  cotton  and  sugar;  and  then 
went  on  to  give  me  more  details  about  his  vessel,  cargo,  and 
voyage ;  but  I  interrupted  him  and  said,  smiling,  that  I  thought 
he  mistook  me  and  the  object  of  my  visit;  as  I  had  not  boarded 
him  cither  in  the  exercise  of  the  right  of  search  of  a  man-of-war  ; 
or  in  the  spirit  of  plunder  of  a  rover  of  the  sea ;  but  to  ask  a  few 
things  much  needed  by  myself  and  men,  which  I  hoped  would  be 
an  excuse  for  the  liberty  I  had  taken,  to  cause  him  to  stay  his 
course. 

At  my  words  the  face  of  the  worthy  Frenchman  widened  with  a 
look  of  relief,  and  shone  with  smiles;  and  he  expressed  himself  as 
being  only  too  happy,  if  in  his  power  to  meet  my  small  request.  I 
told  my  wants,  how  my  chronometer  had  been  ruined  at  Porto 
Praya, — that  I  had  there  lost  my  nautical  almanac,  and  had 
nothing  but  the  unaided  quadrant  to  help  me  find  my  way  across 


THE    ROMANTIC    COMMANDER.  49 

the  ocean ;  and  then  there  were  some  medicines  much  needed  by 
a  sick  man  on  board  the  Flirt. 

My  longitude  was  corrected,  a  spare  almanac  given  me,  and 
the  other  small  wants  provided  for,  and  more  than  I  had  asked, 
with  sailor-like  alacrity  and  liberality ;  and  I  was  glad  to  have  a 
good  Ohio  cheese,  half  a  dozen  of  Philadelphia  ale,  and  a 
lump  of  Rockland  ice  in  my  boat,  which  were  gratefully  received' 
as  a  most  welcome  treat.  After  this  mutually  pleasant  inter 
change  of  favors,  as  the  sea  was  still  calm,  the  commander  would 
have  me  taste  of  refreshment  with  him,  and  talk  over  the 
news  we  brought  from  our  different  points  of  the  world. 

The  ocean  inspires  a  free  range  of  thought ;  and  sunny  placid 
waters,  with  light  breezes,  lull  and  soothe  the  heart  to  a  forgetful- 
ness  of  the  matter-of  fact  cares  of  the  busy,  wearying  turmoil  on 
shore.  Whenever  harsh  duty  on  board  gives  some  small  respite, 
and  when  the  sun  and  soft  tropic  wafts  of  air  play  upon  the 
gently  swelling  sea,  then  will  sometimes  the  most  soddened  sin- 
seared  sailor-man,  out  of  whom  every  vestige  of  faith  and  bright 
hopes,  and  the  young  heart's  adventurous  romance,  has  seemingly 
been  storm-washed  and  toil-worn  away  a  long  time  ago.  often  let 
his  thoughts  wander  from  his  filthy,  comfortless  forecastle,  to  the 
shining  seas  and  sunny  isles  of  early  dreams,  where  brave  men 
should  win  treasures  and  glory,  and  the  smiles  of  gentle  women 
in  a  flowery  land. 

Much  as  steam,  and  the  careful  search  of  almost  every  nook 
of  the  earth  has  taken  away  from  the  romance  of  the  sea,  yet 
still  there  are  few  seamen,  whose  thoughts  do  not  wander  wild 
at  times :  few  who  are  not  rovers  at  heart ;  but  rovers  in  quest 
of  bold  and  honest  adventure,  among  strange  people  for  trade  or 
travel  in  unknown  isles ;  and  not  rovers  of  the  black  flag,  with  the 
death's  head  and  the  raw  bones. 
3 


50  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

Such  -was  our  theme,  the  pleasant  sea-wander  far  off,  where 
ports,  and  tariffs,  and  tonnage  were  not  known.  We  had  talked 
of  my  taut  and  stanch  little  ship,  which  we  could  see  as  we 
talked,  now  rising  with  and  heading  to  the  ocean  swell.  I  had 
spoken  of  her  strength  and  fleetuess,  and  comfort  on  board ;  of 
iny  tastes,  and  untrammelled  power  to  range ;  and  as  I  spoke 
fcn,  the  fervid  Frenchman  followed  me  with  glowing  looks,  and  then 
broke  forth  into  glowing  words,  in  being  borne  along  with  iny 
gallant  skiff  among  the  islands  of  the  Indian  ocean. 

He  had  ever  longed  for  some  such  wide-world  wander,  on  sea 
and  shore ;  yet  not  ever  idly  strolling,  but  working  while  wan 
dering.  A  hearty  tilling  of  the  soil  for  a  time,  and  then  with 
the  fruit  of  his  health-braced  limbs,  to  launch  forth  with  his  own 
keel  on  the  broad,  free  seas,  to  visit  his  brethren  of  all  hues  and 
habits,  scattered  throughout  the  fair  earth. 

All  his  life  at  sea,  as  yet, — before  the  mast  and  aft, — had  been 
one  unchanging  course  of  soul-wearying  drudge;  at  the  behest  of 
dainty  men  on  shore,  who  sickened  at  the  smell  of  the  sea.  He 
was  now  going  for  them  this  round  of  drudge  in  his  clumsy  craft, 
with  a  freightage  of  the  lash-wrought  sugar,  and  ardent  spirit  of 
Brazil,  which  life  his  soul  abhorred. 

The  beautiful  Flirt  now  wooed  his  roving  heart ;  and  I,  the 
poor  and  cargoless  sea-wanderer,  loomed  up  a  viking  in  his  im 
agination.  And  thus  he  viewed  me,  and  my  little  ship  ;  his  ro 
ving  fancies,  warming  him  at  last  to  such  a  pitch  that  he  hinted 
at,  then  urged  outright,  that  I  should  head  for  France  with  him, 
and  there  join  means  on  board  my  clipper  for  a  partnership  of 
congenial  trade  and  travel  all  over  the  globe. 

In  the  fast  flow  of  words  in  a  tongue  to  which  my  car  was  but 
little,  and  my  lips  still  less  practised,  I  had  no  chance  to  inter 
pose  a  wor  J  of  my  own  thinking ; — of  wish  for,  or  dissuasion  from 


ROMANCE    AND    REALITY.  51 

his  scheme.  But  I  had  felt  some  little  borne  away  by  the  can 
did,  hearty  warmth  of  the  man ;  though  not  so  far  as  to  dream 
one  moment  of  going  'bout-ship,  to  head  for  France,  to  join  in 
terests  with  the  captain  of  the  brig  in  a  partnership  of  free  sea 
life,  such  as  the  polity  of  the  chief  governing  powers  of  the  world 
do  frown  upon,  however  harmless  it  may  be. 

Yet  as  he  spoke  on,  fanned  as  we  were  by  the  soft  winds,  and 
rocking  gently  on  the  breast  of  the  boundless  sea,  the  wild  scheme 
did  not  seem  so  wild  then,  as  to  think  of  it  ashore.  And  so  I 
listened,  and  let  the  roving  skipper  go  his  bent. 

On  we  went,  steering  for  that  land,  late  rioting  in  the  frolic 
of  tumbling  down  thrones.  We  were  soon  at  anchor,  and  tread 
ing  the  vine  fields  of  republican  France.  Ere  many  days,  we 
were  afloat  again,  on  board  the  beauteous  Flirt,  with  forecastle, 
hold,  and  cabin,  well  filled  with  choice  wares,  and  arms,  and  brave 
men.  We  were  wafted  by  gentle  tropic  gales,  and  gliding  o'er 
the  heaving  bosom  of  the  Indian  sea :  we  were  in  the  midst  of 
coral  isles,  of  cocoa  groves,  and  jewelled  princes,  and  warriors 
with  brown  skins,  with  whom  we  were  about  to  enter  into  mag 
nificent  relations  of  friendship  and  trade — when  suddenly,  we  were 
recalled  to  the  old  brig  by  an  uproar  of  mingled  volleys  of 
French  and  English  oaths,  and  a  clattering  of  feet  and  handspikes 
on  the  main  deck. 

The  active  Graul  leaped  foremost  out  of  his  cabin;  and 
when  I  had  joined  him  by  the  main  hatch,  I  saw  one  of  my  sail 
ors,  a  little  bullet  of  a  man,  one  from  the  land  of  steady  habits, 
standing  over  a  prostrate  Frenchman :  he  was  holding  a  Porto 
Praya  monkey  in  one  hand,  and  shaking  defiance  with  the  other 
at  the  soup  eaters,  whom  he  bid  come  on :  the  rest  of  my  men 
were  squaring  away  with  their  tar-blackened  fists,  at  the  crew  of 


52  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEX. 

the  ( Vs;i r ;  who  tlmu^li  out  muiilK'riiig  mine  five-fold,  were  kept 
at  bay  by  the  little  band  of  Flirts. 

The  monkey,  a  great  pet  of  the  forecastle,  who  followed  the 
men  daily  to  the  crosstrees,  and  came  down  by  the  run  on  the 
stays,  had  been  smuggled  into  the  boat,  and  was  now  the  cause 
of  war.  During  the  time  of  the  entente  cordiale,  the  tricks  of 
Blister  had  been  shown  off:  a  Frenchman  had  seized  him  with 
c-arcless  grasp,  had  been  bitten,  and  being  maddened  with  the 
pain,  had  dashed  poor  Blister  on  deck  with  murderous  force, 
and  stamped  upon  him,  but  had  scarcely  done  so,  when  down  he 
lay,  his  own  full  length. 

The  struck  man  rose,  furious  to  spring  upon  the  one  who 
had  dealt  the  blow ;  and  the  little  dark,  knotty,  gnarled  Connec- 
ticutcr  stood  ready  for  him.  The  French  captain  ordered  his 
men  to  stand  back ;  but  they,  with  handspikes  in  hand,  were  ad 
vancing  with  wicked  looks.  The  wind  had  now  freshened,  and 
my  master  was  making  signals  to  return.  The  brig  was  getting 
stern  way  upon  her,  and  not  an  instant  was  to  be  lost  in  regaining 
the  Flirt. 

I  said  a  word  to  the  mate,  who  sprang  into  our  boat,  and  made 
all  ready  for  shoving  off.  I  pulled  my  chief  fighting  man  back, 
and  said  a  few  words  of  peace  to  the  threatening  Frenchmen ; 
but  they  were  not  to  be  soothed  by  mild  words ;  one  of  their 
shipmates  had  been  struck  down  by  one  of  my  piratical  crew; 
and  sacre  and  tonnerre,  they  felt  insulted  until  he  was  avenged. 

My  men  had  backed  at  my  order  towards  the  gangway ;  they 
were  passing  over, — the  Frenchmen  crowding  on,  gesticulating  and 
cursing,  and  giving  and  receiving  blows.  My  men  were  all  over 
the  ship's  side,  the  sea  was  rising, — the  mate  cries  out,  the  boat 
will  swamp ;  let  go,  I  cry,  and  over  I  leap. 

And  now  with  hands  to  their  oars,  my  crew  give  way,  amid 


ADIEU    TO    THE    CESAR.  53 

a  yell  of  oaths  and  cries,  of  "  pirates,"-  "  beasts,"  and  of  threats 
to  sink  us ;  but  the  wind  is  up,  and  there  is  a  shout, — to  square 
away  the  yards,  silencing  the  motley  din ;  and  they  were  the 
last  words  I  heard  of  my  late  partner,  in  imagined  glory  and 
adventure. 

The  sea  had  risen  fast  indeed :  the  long,  deep  roll  of  mid- 
ocean,  was  breaking  in  foaming  surges ;  and  my  little  shell,  awhile 
o'ertopped  the  schooner,  and  then  it  was  lost  to  view.  A  few 
hearty  pulls  from  strong  and  willing  hands ; — and  we  were  astern 
of  the  buoyant  Flirt,  now  lifting  with,  and  heading  to,  defiant  of 
the  ocean's  roll.  We  could  not  run  alongside, — lines  were  hove, 
and  foot-ropes  let  down  astern ;  and  quickening  fear,  and  some 
practice  in  rope-climbing,  soon  landed  us  safe  on  deck. 

It  was  time ;  for  the  sea  was  up,  and  the  wind  was  straining 
back  the  foremast  to  its  utmost  bend ; — but  soon  the  yards  swing 
round;  the  clipper  pays  off;  and  on  she  bowls  before  the  whist 
ling  squall. 

And  where  was  the  Cesar? — far  astern,  and  dimly  seen 
through  the  mist  of  the  rising  storm ;  and  there  was  the  tri-color 
of  France,  waving  defiance  or  adieu.  Up  went  the  flag  of 
America,  answering  to  either ;  and  thus  we  dipped  and  waved, 
till  the  storm  mist  shrouded  us  from  view. 


NINTH  DAY. 

THE  owner  of  the  Flirt  resumed  the  story  of  the  voyage,  in 
his  vessel  from  the  Cape  de  Verde  Islands,  towards  the  port  of 
Bahia,  telling  of  many  mishaps  and  trials  owing  to  the  errors  of 
dead  reckoning,  and  his  own  and  officers'  unskilled  hands,  in 
working  a  way  to  the 

COAST    OF    BRAZIL. 

We  had  been  groping  our  way  by  compass  and  helm,  aided 
from  time  to  time,  by  speaking  a  passing  ship,  until  we  had,  by 
the  showing  of  the  log,  run  down  latitude  and  longitude  enougli 
to  have  reached  the  South  American  coast ;  when,  on  the  after 
noon  of  the  eighteenth  day  of  our  run  from  Porto  Praya,  a  gleam 
of  fire  was  dimly  seen  to  the  westward. 

On  nearer  approach,  I  descried  a  ship  on  fire,  and  glimpses 
of  land  beyond.  On  approaching  nearer  still,  I  could  see,  by 
the  light  of  the  column  of  flame  that  was  licking  the  topmost 
spars  of  the  burning  craft,  a  crowd  of  boats  hauled  up  on  the 
beach  of  a  deep,  bluff-crowned  cove,  and  from  which  there 
seemed  to  have  just  landed  a  troop  of  sailors,  and  a  host  of- 
naked  and  manacled  black  men ;  and  then  I  doubted  not  that  I 
beheld  a  burning  slaver,  abandoned  after  the  safe  lauding  of  ita 
live  African  cargo. 


RIOT    ON    BOARD    THE    FLIRT    AT    MACE1O.  55 

We  stood  off  and  on  till  morning  came,  and  then  we  beheld 
the  thick-wooded  coast  of  Brazil ;  but  not  knowing  off  what  part 
we  were,  though  judging  from  the  reckoning  to  be  north  of  the 
point  to  which  we  steered,  we  ran  down  the  coast,  till  we  came 
to  a  bold  reef,  with  an  inlet  leading  into  a  roadstead,  in  which 
were  many  ships  riding  at  anchor ;  and  beyond  this,  a  fort, 
crowning  commanding  heights. 

The  port  seemed  too  small  for  the  one  we  sought ;  but  we 
needed  some  refreshments  and  repairs,  and  entered  the  roadstead, 
which  proved  to  be  that  of  Maceio ;  here  I  resolved  to  make  some 
small  purchases,  and  then  go  on  my  way  again  on  the  same  day 
of  our  arrival ;  but  there  was  a  strange  fate  following  the  Flirt. 
The  Brazilian  Custom-House  required  that  I  must  enter  my 
vessel  in  what  was  called  franquia,  and  afterwards  must  submit  to 
a  routine  of  clearance,  that  required  several  days. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day  of  our  forced  stay,  all 
hands- — officers,  crew,  and  my  servant — all,  except  a  lad  in 
the  forecastle,  had  been  made  drunk  by  some  of  the  poison 
ous  aguardiente  of  the  country,  brought  on  board  the  vessel 
whilst  I  was  ashore.  The  master  and  mate,  though  steady  and 
sober  men,  drank  freely :  both  mere  sailors  before  the  mast ; 
but  the  mate,  who  had  been  obtained  at  Porto  Praya,  proving 
to  have  more  skill  than  the  master,  had  necessarily  taken 
charge  of  the  chief  duty  of  sailing  the  vessel ;  hence  there  was 
a  grudge  between  them,  and  they  sought  the  first  chance  to 
warm  themselves  into  a  fighting  mood,  in  order  to  settle  their  ill 
blood. 

The  master  was  tall,  muscular  and  bony ;  the  mate  short, 
round-limbed,  and  the  heavier  of  the  two.  Both  were  bold  and 
hardy  alike.  As  they  drank,  they  began  their  taunts,  and 


56  PRISON    OF    WELTKVREDEN. 

quickly  came  to  blows.     The   crew  took  sides,  and  a  general 
melee  ensued  on  the  quarter  deck  of  the  Flirt. 

The  battle  between  the  two  principals  was  long  and  obsti 
nate.  In  their  struggles,  they  rolled  down  the  companion-vvny 
into  the  cabin,  the  mate  uppermost,  and  striving  to  choke  his 
foe,  with  all  his  might ;  but  the  master,  drawing  a  spring-knife 
from  his  pocket,  stabbed  furiously  at  the  mate,  gashing  his 
hands,  face,  throat,  and  breast  in  the  most  horrible  manner. 

After  the  butchery  of  his  antagonist,  the  master  was  seized 
with  a  sudden  revulsion  of  soberness  and  remorse  ;  accompanied 
the  wounded  mate  ashore,  and  surrendered  himself  to  the  police'of 
Maceio.  The  crew  of  the  Flirt  being  in  a  wild  and  riotous  state, 
were  made  prisoners  by  some  men  brought  from  a  neighboring 
ship ;  and  they  were  sent  ashore  for  confinement,  till  they  should 
become  sober ;  and  to  afford  an  opportunity  to  remove  some 
dangerous  characters  among  them.  The  magistracy  of  Maceio 
chose  to  see  in  this  sailorly  row,  a  design  to  disturb  the  peace  of 
Brazil,  and  issued  orders  for  the  arrest  of  the  commander  and 
crew  of  the  Flirt. 

There  was  no  American  consul  nor  resident  in  the  place.  I 
retreated  to  the  house  of  the  British  Vice-Consul,  where,  after 
some  parley,  I  was  allowed  to  remain  on  parole.  The  men  were 
called  up  severally  before  a  Court  of  Instruction,  and  underwent 
long  and  trivial  interrogations.  The  Brazilian  Government  was 
in  want  of  a  light,  swift  craft,  to  send  down  to  Buenos  Ayres, 
which  they  were  then  blockading ;  and  merchants  of  Maceio  said, 
that  there  was  a  disposition  to  trump  up  some  charge  in  order  to 
confiscate  the  trim  and  beautiful  Flirt. 

Many  days  had  been  passed  in  sham  investigation.  I  had 
been  summoned  to  appear  before  the  Fiscal  and  Judges  of  In 
struction,  but  had  refused.  Nothing  had  been  elicited  from  the 


THE    DELIVERER.  57 

crew,  to  substantiate  a  shadow  of  a  charge,  and  yet  the  Brazil 
ians  seemed  determined  to  retain  my  vessel,  and  would  have 
done  so,  by  sending  her  to  Rio  de  Janeiro,  there  to  await  the 
destructive  delay  of  Brazilian  law,  or  of  my  own  Government's 
interference  ;  but  there  was  a  prompt  deliverer  close  at  hand. 

On  the  seventh  day  of  my  stay  at  Maceio,  the  lad,  the  lonely 
keeper  on  board  the  Flirt,  descried  a  war  steamer  passing  down 
the  coast.  He  immediately  hoisted  the  ensign,  with  the  stars 
union  down.  The  steamer  observed  the  signal  of  distress,  ran 
into  the  roadstead,  proved  to  be  the  British  steam  sloop-of- 
war  "  Conflict ;  "  and  her  commander,  Captain  Drake,  on  learn 
ing  the  cause  of  the  signal,  came  ashore,  saw  me,  looked  at  my 
papers,  made  some  inquiries  of  other  parties,  satisfied  himself, 
and  then,  without  remark,  desired  me  to  accompany  him  to 
where  they  were  holding  the  Court  of  Instruction. 

We  found  a  Presiding  Judge,  a  Fiscal,  or  Solicitor,  the  Chief 
of  Police,  and  Captain  of  the  Port,  composing  a  tribunal  of  jus 
tice,  before  whom  one  of  my  men  was  undergoing  an  interroga 
tion.  At  the  sight  of  the  British  officer,  the  Court  showed  much 
emotion,  and  seemed  disposed  to  disperse. 

The  commander  of  the  Conflict  hastened  to  say  to  the  Court, 
that  he  appeared  before  them  in  behalf  of  a  citizen  of  a  power 
friendly  with  his  own,  and  without  representative  or  protection 
at  this  place.  He  did  not  assume  any  right  to  interfere  in  the 
behalf  of  the  American  captain  ;  but  he  would  say  to  the  Court 
before  him,  judiciary,  police,  and  prosecution,  that  he  doubted 
their  sincerity  in  seeking  any  end  of  justice,  since  they,  the 
same  men,  had  so  lately  connived  at  the  landing  of  a  large  cargo 
of  slaves  from  the  African  coast,  in  sight  of  their  port,  the  flames 
of  the  abandoned  slaver  having  illumined  the  buildings  around 
where  he  stood.  He  doubted  not,  they  regretted  the  destruction 
3* 


58  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

of  that  American  clipper,  which  must  otherwise  have  fallen  into 
his  hands;  and  now  sought  to  replace  it  with  the  one  then  lying 
in  their  port,  which,  according  to  their  own  rigid  search,  and  all 
evidence  before  them,  carried  not  a  cannon,  or  more  than  a  single 
small  arm  on  board ;  was  manned  by  a  feeble  crew  of  seven  men, 
including  officers  ;  her  commander  being  evidently  no  seaman,  but 
a  quiet  gentleman,  with  some  novel  taste  for  travel.  There  was 
not  a  shadow  of  evidence  to  imagine  treason,  or  any  other  such 
absurdity,  under  such  circumstances;  and  therefore  he  would 
advise  the  authorities  to  let  the  Flirt  and  her  people  go  in  peace. 

The  result  showed  that  he  was  wont  to  utter,  and  they  to  lis 
ten,  to  such  dictation.  They  showed  the  craven  spirit  every 
where  seen  in  Spanish  and  Portuguese  America,  among  the  vi 
cious  stock  of  mingled  race,  now  holding  sway  over  the  old  mas 
ters  from  the  Peninsula,  This  court  of  mestizoes  rose  with 
much  trepidation,  and  said  they  were  glad  to  learn  from  the 
Senhor  Capitfio  that  the  American  and  his  vessel  were  clear  of 
all  suspicion,  which  would  save  them  the  trouble  of  further  in 
vestigation  ;  and  they  were  ready  to  permit  the  schooner  and  her 
people  to  depart. 

The  English  captain  not  deigning  to  await  the  conclusion  of 
the  Court's  reply,  turned  on  his  heel,  and  left  the  Hall  of  Jus 
tice  along  with  me.  We  had  not  proceeded  far,  when  the  Cap 
tain  of  the  Port  overtook  us,  with  the  papers  of  my  vessel  in  his 
hands,  which  my  brave  protector  bid  me  refuse,  until  I  had  re 
ceived  ample  compensation  for  my  forced  stay  and  expenditure. 

I  replenished  my  stores,  I  shipped  a  new  officer,  and  a  small 
crew  of  coast  hands,  and  then  set  sail  for  Pernambuco,  the  nearest 
port  where  I  would  find  an  American  Consul,  and  could  ship  a 
good  crew,  and  make  a  fresh  and  better  start. 


TENTH   DAY. 

THE  commander  of  the  Flirt  began  to  give  some  account  of 
Pernambuco,  the  city  of  the  Reef,  built  upon  the  islands 
of  Recife,  Boa  Vista  and  San  Antonia,  which  rest  in  tranquil 
waters,  protected  from  the  surges  of  the  Atlantic  by  the  most 
wonderful  breakwater  in  the  world, — a  perfect  dam  of  coral, 
sloping  seaward,  and  presenting  a  high  wall  face  on  the  shore 
side.  He  went  on  to  speak  of  the  observations  that  he  had 
made  during  a  month's  stay,  in  regard  to  the  trade  and 
growth  of  the  city,  the  manners  and  customs  of  its  people,  the 
fertility  and  forest  splendor  of  the  surrounding  country,  its  va 
ried  animal  kingdom,  of  the  Government,  and  social  life,  of  the 
clergy,  women,  and  slaves,  and  much,  besides,  about  Pernambuco 
and  the  Empire  of  Brazil;  but  he  was  interrupted  by  the 
young  lady  passenger,  who  observed  that  she  doubted  not,  that 
Brazil  was  a  very  wonderful  country  for  sugar,  logwood  and  dia 
monds,  and  that  it  would  be  interesting  at  another  time  to  hear 
about  its  growth  and  progress,  including  the  fortunes  of  the 
Bragauzas,  the  imperial  Pedros ;  but  at  present  she  would  prefer, 
that  the  narrator  would  put  to  sea  again  with  his  Flirt,  and 
reach  the  Malays,  the  Dutch,  and  the  Prison  from  whence  he 
had  escaped,  by  the  nearest  route  he  could  take. 

This  being  the  desire  of  the  rest  of  his  hearers,  he  turned 
from  Brazilian  politics  and  statistics,  to  glance  at  some  circuni- 


GO  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN.  '    . 

Btances  which  preceded  his  departure  from  Pernambuco;  his 
shipment  of  a  new  crew ;  the  offers  made  to  him  to  charter 
his  vessel  for  Buenos  Ay  res,  prevented  by  the  blockade ;  for  the 
river  Amazon,  stopped  by  a  Government  prohibition  ;  then,  find 
ing  no  opportunity  for  such  employment  as  he  had  hoped,  his  en 
deavor  to  sell  his  vessel,  but  trade  being  dull,  could  find  no  pur 
chaser  ;  but,  in  the  midst  of  his  strivings  and  lookings  around  for 
something  to  do,  his  falling  in  with  a  Hamburgh  captain,  an  old 
cruiser  in  the  East  Indies,  who  told  him  news  about  the  long 
lost  uncle,  and  revived  the  memories  of  Sumatra;  but  at  this  time, 
the  American  Consul  at  Pernambuco,  getting  word  of  an  Ame 
rican  ship  being  aghore  on  the  Brazilian  coast,  off  Cape  St.  Roque, 
and  needing  help ;  and  the  Flirt  being  the  fleetest  vessel  and  of 
lightest  draught  in  port,  his  engaging  her  to  go  to  the  rescue, 
with  instructions  to  take  any  cargo  saved  to  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

He  went  and  found  the  stranded  vessel  abandoned  and 
stripped ;  nothing  to  save,  what  should  he  then  do,  the  wide  ocean 
being  before  him;  there  being  nothing  for  him  to  do  in  Brazil; 
the  returning  home,  a  fruitless  sacrifice ;  then  thoughts  of  the 
Eastern  islands,  of  the  uncle  and  his  strange  fate,  rose  up  to 
view;  and  there,  while  ^t  sea,  while  beating  down  the  Brazilian 
coast,  he  resolved  to  steer  for  the  East,  and,  with  a  bounding 
heart,  he  headed  for  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope;  and  then,  on  his 
way  thither,  he  stopped  to  visit  a  curious  island :  and  thus  he 
told  of  what  he  saw  and  heard  of 


We  had  passed  the  parallel  of  Africa's  most  southern  lands, 
and  were  midway  in  the  South  Atlantic,  between  those  stormy 
points  of  the  Horn  and  Good  Hope.  The  unwearying  pigeon 


APPROACH    TO    LAND.  61 

of  the  Capo,  and  the  heavy-winged  albatros,  were  chasing  us 
with  varied  evolution ;  now  sweeping  over,  now  darting  under 
the  stern,  or  clustered  together  and  fluttering  on  the  water  in 
our  wake,  greedily  picking  up  some  garbage  from  the  schooner. 
Then  came  the  long-tailed  marline  bird,  screaming  and  flying  to 
and  fro,  high  overhead ;  these  signs  of  birds,  with  thick  masses 
of  white  clouds  in  the  south,  bid  us  look  out  for  land  that  must 
be  near. 

We  were,  by  our  reckoning  and  observation,  full  sixteen 
hundred  miles  from  the  nearest  point  of  continental  coast ;  but 
our  chart  showed  some  pin-point  dots, — the  spots  of  land  that  we 
were  nearing,  and  which  I  had  wished  to  see. 

The  vessel,  urged  on  by  a  fresh  south-western  wind,  fast  ran 
down  the  heavy  cloud  masses  that  embanked  the  horizon  ahead ; 
the  birds  came  thicker,  with  more  of  the  screaming  marlines ; 
we  had  got  out  of  the  ocean's  roll,  and  the  sea  came  chopping  as 
under  the  lee  of  a  protecting  shore ;  but  the  man  in  the  chains 
still  hove  his  lead,  and  felt  no  check  to  his  line. 

The  day  had  been  harsh,  blustry,  and  lowering.  We  strained 
our  eyes  at  the  piled-up  hills  of  clouds  that  seemed  to  wall  up 
some  shore  from  our  view,  which  we  feared  we  would  not  sight 
before  nightfall.  Later  on,  the  clouds  began  to  break  overhead, 
though  still  enshrouding  the  horizon.  In  the  break  above,  we 
gazed  with  pleasure  at  the  skyey  blue,  that  had  been  veiled  from 
us  for  some  time ;  and  then  at  a  white,  sun-gilded  cloud,  peer 
ing  above  the  dark  mass  that  walled  up  half  the  sky.  But  the 
glistening  of  this  cloud  was  strange ;  and  while  the  dark  mass 
moved  on,  and  broke,  and  lowered,  there  this  dazzling  cone  re 
mained,  piercing  like  a  mighty  pyramid's  peak  the  blue  above ; 
and  as  nearer  we  came,  it  larger  grew ;  and  then  the  dark  mass 
broke  away  below,  and  we  found  ourselves  at  the  base  of  a  lofty, 


62 


PRISON    OF    WELTEVJli:!>i:S. 


enow-capped  mount,  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  shore  of 
Tristan  d'Acunha. 

Though  near  enough  to  fire  a  musket-ball  on  shore,  yet  our 
lead  found  no  bottom ;  and  the  steep,  bold  mount,  that  shot  up 
in  sheer  unbroken  ascent,  eleven  thousand  feet  overhead,  seemed 
but  a  summit  above  the  sea,  of  some  mighty  mountain,  whose 
base  lay  many  a  hundred  fathom  down  below,  on  the  ocean's 
bed 


This  mountain  island,  some  seven  miles  around,  presented  a 
bald  wall  of  rock  sheer  down  to  the  water's  edge,  in  all  its  cir 
cumference,  except  a  small  patch,  a  cable's  length  of  shingly 
beach,  backed  by  a  ledge  of  green  and  level  land,  walled  in 
by  the  beetling  black  rock  of  the  mountain's  side,  from  which 
there  gleamed  a  shining  silvery  streak,  and  which  a  nearer  view 


THE    GOVERNOR    OF    TRISTAN    D?ACUNIIA.  63 

showed  to  be  a  great  gushing  spout  of  water,  springing  boldly 
from  a  cleft  in  the  rock's  dark  face,  and  thundering  down  upon 
the  beach,  a  flood  of  melted  snow,  convenient  for,  and  most 
grateful  to  thirsty  crews. 

The  ledge  of  green  was  tilled,  in  terraced  plats,  around  a 
range  of  neat,  snug  mud  huts ;  and  there  were  cattle  browsing, 
and  further  signs  of  man  were  seen,  and  then  he  soon  appeared 
himself.  A  whale-boat,  like  a  large  canoe,  was  launched  from 
the  shingly  beach  •  it  came  bounding  bravely  through  the  surf 
and  the  chopping  sea,  and  when  within  hail  of  the  Flirt,  then 
lying  to,  the  words,  "  Schooner  ahoy,"  came  ringing  across  the 
water  in  right  good,  pleasant-sounding  Saxon. 

Four  men  came  over  the  gangway  of  the  schooner ;  a  white- 
haired  patriarch,  short,  and  bent  with  years ;  a  youth  of  twenty, 
showing  a  mingling  of  the  blood  of  some  dark  straight-haired  race 
with  Saxon  ;  another  youth,  tall  and  ruddy ;  and  the  fourth  was 
a  short,  thick,  coarse-limbed,  and  a  sailorly-looking  man  in  the 
face,  though  not  in  his  garb  ;  for  he,  like  all  the  rest,  had  goat 
skin  cap,  and  shoes,  and  coverings  for  the  legs,  with  some  other 
things  of  savage  dress ;  and  these  men  were,  the  old  Governor 
of  the  island,  two  grandsons,  and  a  son-in-law,  who  came  to  wel 
come  us  to  the  wild  isle  we  saw. 

I  learned  then,  and  partly  since,  that  the  old  man  was  once  a 
sergeant  in  the  British  East  India  Army,  and  had  left  his  ser 
vice  in  1810,  to  cast  his  lot  on  the  then  deserted  Tristan  d'Acunha. 
After  some  years  of  a  rude  and  desolate  life,  with  an  old  negro 
and  a  boy,  he  went  with  a  frail  craft  on  an  adventurous  cruise  to 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  brought  back  a  partner,  a  woman 
willing  to  leave  all  the  world  beside,  to  share  with  him  the  green 
clefts  and  ledges  of  that  lonely  ocean  peak. 


64  THE    PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

Their  solitude  was  blessed  with  daughters,  who  grew  up 
lithe  and  strong-limbed,  like  the  wild  goats,  which  these  damsels 
chased  with  equal  speed  of  foot ;  and  they  were  seen  by  hunters 
of  other  game,  adventurous  men  in  search  of  whale,  who  were 
willing  to  leave  their  huge  prey,  to  join  the  Dianas  of  the  moun 
tain  isle. 

And  then,  from  a  wreck, — that  of  the  Blendenhall, — a  man 
and  woman  were  strangely  saved,  and  cast  upon  this  shore. 
All  of  these,  the  founder  of  this  lonely  state,  his  wife,  and  old 
retainers,  the  children  and  those  they  married,  with  their  in 
crease,  along  with  that  of  the  couple  saved,  numbered,  at  the 
time  of  my  visit  there,  eighty-four  souls  in  all. 

Old  Governor  Glass  ruled  by  right  of  age,  and  a  founder's 
claims  to  chief  suzerainty  of  the  soil,  and  as  yet  there  had  been 
no  contending  rival.  He  alone  sat  in  judgment,  to  uphold  the 
laws  of  his  own  making;  and  with  his  simple  code  and  prompt 
administration,  all  legal  lore  and  the  delays  of  law  were 
there  unheeded  and  unknown. 

No  custom-house,  nor  bank ;  no  factory,  nor  doctor's  store  of 
drugs ;  no  traffickers,  tax-gathers,  nor  deep-mouthed,  purchased 
politicians ;  no  strutting  soldier,  and  no  wranglers  about  unlov 
ing  dogmas,  were  there  ;  whilst  the  use  of  money  was  a  myth  of 
other  lands. 

The  islanders  had  some  cattle  and  sheep,  and  grew  barley 
and  potatoes  on  their  narrow  ledge  of  level  land,  which  held  not 
more  than  two  hundred  acres  of  farming  soil.  What  they  had 
to  spare  of  their  meat  and  esculent  food,  along  with  fresh  milk 
and  eggs,  they  exchanged  with  whaling  ships  that  chanced  that 
way,  for  a  few  ship's  stores,  but  chiefly  powder  and  shot,  with 
which  to  chase  the  goats  and  conies,  that  swarmed  in  the  clefts 
and  up  the  steeps  of  their  island  mountain. 


DEPARTURE    FROM    TRISTAN    D'ACUNHA.  65 

On  the  summit  of  this  mountain,  a  crater's  mouth  showed 
where  the  earth's  inner  molten  mass  had  been  belched  forth ;  but 
now,  where  the  liquid  lava  once  had  boiled  and  raged,  down  some 
hundred  feet  from  the  crater's  brim,  there  flowed  a  cool,  pellucid 
lake,  filled  with  strange  fish,  unlike  to  any  of  the  many  kinds 
that  swarm  around  the  island. 

We  found  no  safe  anchorage  during  our  stay  off  the  island, — 
part  of  two  days  and  a  night ;  but  there  is  a  point  about  one 
mile  and  a  half  southeast  of  the  small  patch  of  landing  beach, 
where  there  is  a  detached  bank  in  twenty-five  fathoms  of  water, 
exposed  to  the  ocean's  roll  from  north  to  south  by  east ;  and 
as  two  ships  have  been  lost  there,  from  the  wind  veering  round 
to  the  northeast,  while  they  were  at  anchor,  no  vessel  should 
trust  to  a  hawser  on  that  bank. 

This  absence  of  good  anchorage  has  saved  the  islanders  from 
hurtful  contact  with  ships'  crews,  and  thus  has  favored  the 
growth  of  simple  tastes,  of  industrious  habits  and  kindly  inter 
course  ;  and  the  culture  of  some  knowledge  of  books,  of  which 
they  have  a  small  stock,  and  prize  most  highly,  and  they  were 
eager  for  newspapers  of  any  ancient  date  that  we  could  spare. 

Fain  would  I  have  stayed  some  time  ashore,  could  I  have 
moored  my  vessel  in  safety;  but  the  south  winds  blew;  the 
Flirt  was  tossed  in  a  fretful  sea,  and  seemed  straining  to  start 
on  her  eastern  way.  I  returned  some  gifts,  pleasing  to  the 
islanders,  for  the  fresh  food  they  brought ;  and  after  exchanging 
kind  words,  gave  the  schooner  the  helm,  and  off  she  flew ;  and 
when  the  shingly  beach,  the  green  ledge,  the  rude  hamlet,  the 
leaping  stream,  and  the  dark  rocks  of  Tristan  d'Acunha  had 
faded  from  our  view,  still  the  glistening  snow-peak  was  seen, 
when  far  on  our  way  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 


66  PRISON   OF   \VI:I.TI:YI;I:I>I:\. 

All  the  listeners  to  the  story  of  Tristan  d'Acimha  were  eager 
to  learn  more  about  these  islanders,  and  their  dot  of  dominion, 
BO  far  away,  alone  in  the  great  ocean ;  more  about  their  social 
habits;  their  personal  looks,  especially  of  the  women;  their 
liinusements,  notions  of  property,  and,  above  all,  their  ideas  of 
religious  worship. 

These  queries  could  not  well  be  answered  ;  for  the  visit  had 
been  too  short,  and  foul  weather  cut  off  that  intercourse,  which 
otherwise  would  have  taken  place ;  and  furthermore,  the  com 
mander  of  the  Flirt  had  loft  the  islanders  with  the  promise  and 
firm  intention  of  paying  a  lengthened  visit  on  his  return  from 
the  East,  and  still  hoped  to  do  so,  and  learn  all  that  was  inter 
esting  concerning  the  little  insular  state. 

The  boatswain  had  a  word  to  say  about  Tristan  d'Acunha  ; 
lie  had  sighted  it  in  many  an  East  India  voyage.  A  fight  took 
place  off  the  island,  some  time  during  the  last  war,  when  Com 
modore  Biddle  in  the  Hornet,  sunk  the  British  brig  of  war 
Penguin.  Seven  years  before  that  time,  in  1803,  an  American 
s'-aman,  Jonathan  Lambert,  of  Salem,  left  his  ship,  along 
with  a  boy  and  an  old  African,  and  settled  on  the  island.  He 
went  there  to  establish  a  station,  to  supply  fresh  provision  and 
water  to  whalers,  and  to  ships  going  round  the  Cape.  In 
one  of  his  cruisings  with  his  boat,  on  a  visit  to  the  little 
islands  near  by,  called  Nightingale  and  Inaccessible  islands,  he 
was  drowned  ;  but  as  Sergeant  Glass  appeared  at  Tristan 
d'Acunha  shortly  afterwards,  with  the  companions  of  Lambert, 
it  has  been  suspected  that  the  American  settler  met  with  foul 
play.  At  any  rate,  the  boatswain  thought  the  Government  at 
Washington  ought  to  look  into  the  matter,  as  the  island  was 
American  by  priority  of  settlement,  was  a  good  station  for  India- 
bound  ships,  and  would  be  of  great  use  in  time  of  war. 


ELEVENTH  DAY. 

THE  Flirt  was  upon  the  Agulhas  banks,  on  the  tenth  day  after 
her  departure  from  Tristan  d'Acunha,  the  dim  outline  of  the 
African  sands,  on  the  coast  of  the  Cape,  being  just  visible  from 
her  decks ;  and  after  three-and-twenty  days'  sail  in  the  Indian 
Ocean,  was  in  sight  of  the  island  of  St.  Paul.  This  island 
shows  a  strong  likeness  at  a  distance  to  a  spermaceti  whale, 
when  approached  from  the  southwest,  there  being  near  the  ex 
tremity,  resembling  the  head,  a  lofty,  natural  column  of  rock, 
which  might  .well  be  mistaken  for  the  spout  of  the  whale.  This 
natural  minaret  is  honey-combed  with  innumerable  holes,  which 
are  filled  with  the  nests,  the  eggs,  and  the  young  of  sea  birds, 
who  fly  in  screaming  clouds  round  their  grand  columnar  aviary. 
This  shaft  stands  in  front  of  a  deep  cove,  which  forms  almost 
a  circle ;  the  incomplete  segment  being  partially  filled  up  by  the 
base  of  the  natural  column,  leaving  between  this  and  the  horns 
of  the  crescent  a  mere  boat  channel,  for  entrance  into  the  cove. 
This  natural  basin  has  steep,  stony  banks,  like  the  walls  of  a 
dock,  and  affords  no  convenient  place  for  landing.  Its  waters, 
and  those  surrounding  the  island,  swarm  with  small  fish  of  va 
rious  kinds,  having  fine,  firm,  white  meat, — sweet-tasted,  and 
free  from  small  bones. 

An  adventurer  from  the  Isle  of  France  took  possession  of  St. 
Paul's  many  years  ago,  and  resided  on  it  for  some  time.  He 
was  not  at  home  when  the  Flirt  paid  a  visit  to  the  island,  there 


68  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

was  no  evidence  of  any  human  being  then  residing  there.  It  is 
about  one  mile  and  a  half  long,  and  half  a  mile  wide  on  the 
average  ;  covered  with  a  coarse,  stunted, -fern-like  growth,  and  is 
of  volcanic  origin,  as  there  are  several  hot  springs  upon  it,  which 
send  forth  steaming  and  scalding  streams  into  the  sea. 

The  next  land  that  lay  in  the  course  of  the  Flirt,  was  the 
small  group  of  islands  called  Cocos,  which  are  strung  continu 
ously  together,  by  connecting  shoals  and  coral  banks,  and  lie  on 
the  ocean  like  a  Titanic  necklace  of  emerald  beads  and  coral 
links,  the  land-locked  sea  within  being  inaccessible  except  to 
small  craft  of  the  lightest  draught.  An  enterprising  trader 
by  the  name  of  Ross,  took  possession  of  this  group ;  and  as 
his  own  Government  had  made  a  treaty  with  the  Govern 
ment  of  Holland,  in  which  it  had  conceded  a  political  and  com 
mercial  monopoly  to  the  latter,  of  all  islands  in  the  Indian 
Archipelago,  south  of  the  equator,  he  courted  the  protection  of 
the  authorities  of  the  Netherlands  at  Batavia ;  obtained  the 
privilege  to  hoist  the  Dutch  flag,  and  took  with  him  a  large  com 
pany  of  poor  natives  of  Java,  to  cultivate  his  insular  dominions, 
the  chief  production  of  which  is  the  cocoa  nut,  whence  cocoa  nut 
oil  is  obtained  in  great  abundance ;  and  with  which  Governor 
lloss  freights  his  schooner  twice  a  year  for  Batavia. 

It  was  not  the  object  of  the  commander  of  the  Flirt  to  turn 
aside  or  stop  on  his  way  across  the  Indian  Ocean.  Madagascar, 
Mauritius,  St.  Paul's,  and  the  Cocos  had  courted  his  curious  eye 
to  take  a  passing  glance,  but  he  hastened  on  to  the  great  Malay 
Isle,  whose  mountain  summits  soon  broke  upon  his  view,  and 
thus  he  spoke  to  his  friends  on  board  the  Palmer  of  his 


ENTERING    STRAITS    OF    SUNDA.  G9 


FIRST    SIGHT    OF    SUMATRA. 

On  Christmas  eve,  we  were  sailing  with  a  gentle  wind  over 
a  smooth  sea.  We  were  nearing  thick  masses  of  land-clouds, 
when  there  came  a  faint  aroma  of  sweet  woody  scents,  wafted  on 
the  breeze ;  as  we  sped  through  the  yielding  vapory  banks,  the 
fragrant  air  came  strong  and  pleasurable,  like  distant  strains  of 
song ;  then  the  retreating  clouds  presented  to  our  gaze  a  dark 
blue  peak,  piercing  the  skyey  blue  above ;  the  wood,  and  blos 
som,  and  gum-scented  breeze  came  stronger  and  more  thrilling, 
rivalling  in  pleasure  sweet  melody  on  the  waters ;  and  the 
peak,  and  the  odor-laden  winds,  were  the  first  sight  and  first 
welcome  breath  of  the  land  of  long  dreams,  the  Island  of  Su 
matra. 

I  shall  not  stop  to  speak  of  what  I  saw  of  the  Straits,  and 
of  the  Islands  of  Sunda,  through  which  we  have  just  passed; 
of  Crockatoa  and  Anjier,  of  Thwart  the  Way,  and  Bessie,  and 
of  all  those  pleasant  spots  which  first  greet  the  ocean  traveller, 
at  this  entrance  of  the  Indian  seas. 

I  felt  a  deep  heart's  thrill  on  entering  the  threshold  of  the 
East  Indian  Archipelago : — those  islands  of  so  much  fabled 
wealth  and  wonder,  of  so  much  real  value  and  interest,  and  so 
much  less  known  than  any  other  portion  of  the  peopled  earth. 

To  my  right  was  the  olden  Jabadiv,  the  "  land  of  barley," 
of  the  Alexandrian  geographer,  the  sacred  Isle  of  the  Hindoos, 
and  the  Java  of  English  and  Dutch  dominion ;  an  island 
rivalling  Cuba  in  size  and  fertility,  and  sixfold  its  number 
of  souls  ;  once  a  land  of  great  empires  and  oriental  pomp, 
sending  forth  its  embattled  fleets  and  hosts  to  the  nations  around 
them,  then  warring  with  European  power  and  skill,  and  falling 


70  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

by  the  hands  of  the  buccaneering  men  of  Portugal,  of  England 
and  of  Holland,  and  now  yielding  a  coffee  harvest,  the  chief  sup 
port  of  the  almost  bankrupt  sovereignty  of  the  last  and  the 
meanest  of  its  masters. 

To  my  left  was  a  greater  island  still,  though  less  fruitful  and 
less  peopled,  and  not  so  rich  in  historic  lore  and  dynastic  fame ; 
but  the  chief  seat  of  a  great  race,  who  without  war,  or  prose 
lyting  zeal,  had  scattered  their  language,  and  customs,  and  tra 
ditions  among  numberless  nations  around  ; — from  Madagascar  to 
Polynesia,  from  Malacca  to  Papua,  the  teeming  millions  of  the 
many  thousand  isles  within  the  Indian  Ocean,  all  bear  some 
marks  of  the  intellectual  sway  of  the  Malays  of  Sumatra. 

Before  me  was  the  greatest  of  all,  an  island  continent ;  full 
of  hidden  wonders,  and  unexplored  rivers,  and  plains,  and 
mountain  ranges ;  where  the  human  form  with  hairy  skin  lodged 
in  the  trees ;  where  man  sought  the  head  of  his  fellow  man,  as 
the  best  of  gifts  to  lay  at  the  feet  of  his  bride ;  and  where  an 
adventurous  gentleman  had  become  the  prince  and  civilizer  of  a 
barbaric  race,  and  filled  the  world  with  the  fame  of  Brooke  and 
Borneo. 

And  around  these  were  the  countless  smaller  isles  of  the  In 
dian  seas ;  and  many  of  them  large,  rich,  and  greatly  peopled 
states.  There  were  the  fragrant  isles  of  spices,  so  rich  in  soil, 
yet  so  poor  in  product,  making  Molucca  another  name  for  sordid 
monopoly.  There  was  Celebes,  with  its  trading  Bughis,  and 
their  maritime  laws ;  then  Magindinao,  the  Lanuns'  land, — the 
great  pirate  isle ;  Papua,  with  its  ferocious  tribes,  and  birds  of 
paradise  ;  Banca,  the  great  tin  mine ;  Bali,  the  little  Bali  with 
its  heroic  race,  twice  conquerors  of  the  Dutch ;  Sumbawa,  the 
sandalwood  island  j  Timor,  the  last  remnant  of  Portugese  do 
minion  in  the  Indian  seas;  and  still  thousands  more  of  fair  island 


STRAITS    OF    BANCA.  71 

Bpots,  rich  in  a  gorgeous  animal  and  vegetable  life,  had  wooed 
many  a  fancy  from  the  hard  path  of  a  toiling  life  in  a  cold  land, 
and  might  well  produce  a  deep  heart's  thrill  with  their  full  charm 
of  verdure  and  fragrance,  bursting  upon  weary  and  storm-tossed 

senses. 

It  was  my  plan  to  steer  direct  for  Singapore,  the  great  central 
point,  and  chief  trading  port  for  all  nations  in  the  Indian  seas  : 
there  I  hoped  to  hear  some  tidings  of  my  uncle ;  and  there  I  de 
signed  to  refit  for  a  short  cruise  to  the  northern  part  of  Sumatra, 
the  north-eastern  portion  of  Borneo,  and  to  other  points  in  the 
Archipelago,  where  the  native  races  of  these  islands  are  indepen 
dent,  and  where  I  thought  there  was  no  risk  of  coming  in  contact 
with  European  jealousy  and  power. 

Calms  and  currents  kept  us  lingering  for  many  days  in  the 
Java  Sea,  and  creeping  slowly  through  the  Straits  of  Banca. 
While  the  schooner  was  at  anchor,  waiting  for  a  wind  to  stem  the 
adverse  current  that  prevailed,  I  cruised  in  my  boat  among  the 
fairy  dots  of  land,  upon  the  Lampong  coast ;  roused  up  some  of 
the  strange  marine  monsters  that  sport  in  the  green  slimy  ooze 
along  those  shores,  which  seems  to  be  a  deposit  of  decomposed 
animalculce, — took  a  good  look  at  Lucepara, — visited  the  Nanka 
group,  great  and  little,  which  my  sailing-master  explored  in  quest 
of  water,  finding  none ; — and  then  when  off  Parmesang  Hill,  I 
went  with  my  boat  to  the  opposite  coast,  pulled  up  a  rapid  creek, 
explored  the  jungle,  and  it  was  there,  on  a  New- Year's  Day,  I 
first  trod  the  soil  of  Sumatra. 

We  had  reached,  on  a  pleasant  afternoon,  the  north-western 
end  of  the  Straits  of  Banca — the  Sumatra  and  Banca  shore  just  to 
be  seen  from  either  bow  :  one  half  hour  more,  and  the  Flirt  would 
have  been  out  of  sight  of  Manopin  Hill,  and  beating  up  against 


72  TIM  SON     or 


the  northwest  monsoon  in  the  China  Sea  ;  but  a  black-arched  bat- 
tlcnient  of  cloud  rose  up  to  bar  the  way  ;  up  sprang  the  dark  disc, 
and  on  it  came  with  tropic  speed  and  wrath,  rolling  with  foam 
over  the  waters.  The  Flirt  was  all  snug  in  storm  trim,  as  she 
careened  to  a  furious  and  blinding  squall  ;  and  drove  on  heed 
less  of  the  helm,  among  dangerous  shoals,  and  upon  an  unknown 
coast,  with  no  other  guide  in  the  thick  darkness  that  surrounded 
us,  but  the  lead  line.  The  water  rapidly  shoaled,  and  when  the 
lead  found  bottom  at  three  fathoms,  though  not  knowing  whether 
on  a  bank  or  the  coast,  we  let  go  our  anchors,  and  rode  out  the 
storm  in  safety. 

When  daylight  came,  we  beheld  the  Banca  shore,  and  the 
fort  of  Minto,  about  two  miles  distant.  Whilst  I  was  scanning 
with  my  glass  the  small  craft  and  native  boats  at  anchor,  and 
entering  the  roadstead  of  Minto,  I  observed  a  small  Dutch  cutter 
standing  in  ;  she  had  been  hovering  near  the  schooner  in  the 
straits  the  day  before  :  she  now  ran  close  alongside  the  Flirt,  and 
ladies  were  to  be  seen  on  board,  whose  deep  brunette  skins  and  fine 
youthful  forms,  draped  in  novel  and  tasteful  costume,  could  read 
ily  be  distinguished.  One  hailed  us  in  merry  voice,  and  at  the 
same  time  a  clear,  shrill,  pleasant  feminine  laughter  from  many 
voices,  came  ringing  over  the  waters  :  and  then  the  ladies  mocked 
with  their  parasols  my  use  of  the  telescope,  levelled  at  them  whilst 
the  cutter  passed  by,  and  came  to  anchor  near  the  Fort.  I 
resolved  to  go  ashore  and  take  a  glance  at  this  noted  Dutch  depot 
for  tin  ;  leaving  orders  to  be  all  ready  to  make  sail  in  the  after 
noon,  when  I  should  come  on  board. 


TWELFTH  DAY. 

WHEN  the  commander  of  the  Flirt  first  stepped  on  shore  at 
Minto,  he  was  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  half  naked  natives,  who 
made  a  great  clamor,  repeating  very  distinctly  the  word  sliaban- 
dar,  and  pointing  to  a  low  building  near  the  beach,  above  which 
the  Dutch  flag  was  flying.  At  the  doorway  of  this  building  he 
was  met  by  a  stout,  portly  man,  in  the  early  prime  of  life — the 
type  of  the  old  Dutch  burgomaster  in  form,  but  not  in  complex 
ion  ;  his  skin  being  almost  as  deepjy  shaded  as  the  turbaned  na 
tives  around  him.  This  was  the  Shabandar  or  Haverineester 
of  Minto.  After  an  exchange  of  salutations,  he  invited  the 
commander  very  cordially  to  partake  of  some  refreshments,  then 
before  them.  The  novelty  of  the  visit  was  commented  upon ; — 
the  first  American  vessel  that  had  ever  anchored  in  the  roadstead 
of  Minto,  within  the  knowledge  of  the  Havermeester.  He  was 
gratified  at  the  visit ;  it  was  so  rare  to  meet  with  a  traveller  of 
any  information  upon  the  island  of  Banca.  If  he  wanted  wood 
or  water,  or  any  thing  to  be  done  on  board  of  his  vessel,  it  should 
be  attended  to,  and  he  pressed  him  to  delay  his  departure,  say 
ing,  it  might  be  no  loss  of  time,  to  stay  even  several  weeks. 

The  north-west  monsoon  was  then  blowing  in  the  teeth  of  all 

vessels  proceeding  to  Singapore ;  and  no  sailing  craft,  even  one 

as  sharp  built  as  the  Flirt,  could  then  reach  this  port  in  less  than 

twenty  or  twenty-five  days ;  whereas  a  few  weeks  later,  on  the 

4 


74  Mil  SON    OF    WELTKVREDEN. 

Betting  in  of  the  south-east  monsoon,  she  might  make  the  ruu  in 
less  than  three  days.  As  the  commander  had  no  urgent  business 
at  Singapore,  had  no  cargo,  and  the  vessel  was  his  own,  why 
would  he  not  rest  awhile  at  Minto  ?  It  was  true,  the  Haver- 
tnecster  said,  that  the  place  had  slight  attractions  to  offer,  there 
being  no  other  society  except  a  few  families  of  the  officers  of  the 
small  garrison ;  yet  he  was  sure  they  would  be  highly  gratified 
by  the  visit,  arid  offer  a  hearty  welcome.  With  these,  and  other 
pressing  words,  the  commander  felt  tempted  to  stay,  and  await 
the  change  of  the  monsoon,  which  would  take  place  in  about 
three  weeks ;  and  he  sent  his  boat  back  to  the  schooner,  with 
orders  to  countermand  the  preparation  for  departure  that  after 
noon. 

The  Ilavermeester  conducted  the  commander  to  the  residence 
of  the  Governor,  or  Resident,  as  the  chief  magistrate  of  all 
islands  or  provinces  is  named  in  Netherland  India  :  he  after 
wards  led  him  to  the  quarters  of  the  several  officers  of  the  garri 
son  ;  and  then  to  his  own  house  to  spend  the  evening.  The 
incidents  and  conversations  during  these  visits,  were  thus  related 
by  the  commander  of  the  Flirt,  on  board  the  Palmer,  when  he 
ppoke  of 

. 

THE    VISIT    TO    MINTO* 

I  found  the  Resident  in  company  with  the  commandant  of 
the  fort,  seated  beneath  a  large  tree,  in  the  small  park  near  the 
esplanade  of  the  fort ;  some  of  the  noted  beverage  of  Schiedam 
and  of  the  gaseous  fluid  of  Seltzer  was  before  them,  of  which  I 
\v:ts  invited  to  partake,  immediately  after  my  introduction  by  the 
nneester. 

The  Resident   seemed  about  thirty-five   years  of  age,  well 


RESIDENT    OF    BANCA.  75 

made,  and  of  a  handsome  presence ;  but  lie  had  a  cold  eye,  and 
a  skeptic's  smile  played  upon  his  lips,  as  I  spoke  of  my  voyage 
in  my  little  ship,  and  visits  to  out-of-the  way  islands,  without 
cargo  or  freight,  or  any  fixed  haven  in  view.  It  will  seem 
strange,  said  the  Resident,  to  our  plain  matter-of-fact,  trading 
Hollanders,  to  hear  of  a  man  sailing  with  a  good  vessel,  fit  for 
valuable  use,  over  the  dull,  wearisome  sea,  to  visit  the  bleak 
rock  of  Tristan  d'Acunha,  a  poor  potato  patch  for  whalers, — 
the  bleaker  one  of  St.  Paul's — a  roosting  and  nesting-place  for 
gulls  and  boobies;  or  to  visit  the  pestilential,  morass  coast  of 
Sumatra. 

I  observed  that  my  cruise  would  not  have  seemed  strange  to 
the  plain,  and  trading  Hollanders,  of  the  sixteenth  and  seven 
teenth  century,  when  the  roving  Houtmans,  and  Heemskerks, 
followed  in  the  footsteps  of  Antonio  de  Afereu,  and  other  rovers 
of  Portugal,  over  the  same  dull  sea  I  had  crossed,  to  seek  out 
what  there  was  rich  or  rare,  in  desert  or  peopled  islands ;  but  the 
monopoly  which  some  of  those  Hollanders  founded,  did  think 
strange  of  independent  rovers  who  came  after  them ;  and  seized 
the  vessel  of  one — the  brave  Roggcween — who  chose  to  stop  in 
these  seas  without  leave. 

But  the  roving  Houtmans,  and  Hemskerks,  as  you  term  them, 
came  with  sanctions  from  home,  to  seek  in  an  open  field  of  ad 
venture,  for  new  outlets  and  markets  for  the  trade  of  the  father 
land;  and  they  founded,  and  those  who  followed  after  them 
reared  up  a  power,  which  won  the  right  to  bid  Roggeween,  or 
any  one  who  should  come  now  without  leave,  to  depart  from  the 
shores  of  any  island  in  the  Indian  seas. 

They  went  forth,  I  said,  with  that  sanction  only,  which 
every  commander  of  a  ship  carries  with  him,  who  has  sub 
mitted  to  the  marine  police  regulations  of  his  country,  and  pro- 


76  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

cceds  in  general  quest  of  a  market.  They  went,  indeed,  into  an 
open  field  of  adventure,  for  the  rich  lands  of  the  Malays  and  the 
Javanese  had  been  a  common  plundering  ground  for  Arabs,  Por 
tuguese,  and  English,  long  before  the  coming  of  the  present 
power.  The  former  had  menaced  the  shores  of  the  great  islands 
of  the  Archipelago  with  a  shadowy  and  unsubstantial  dominion, 
and  it  did  not  seem  that  more  than  that  was  done  now. 

It  will  not  seem  so  to  you  Americans,  said  the  Hesident  with 
some  warmth,  who  have  deemed  the  Spanish  territory  of  Cuba 
an  open  field  for  adventure,  which  you  have  lately  failed  to  an 
nex,  and  fifty  of  your  countrymen,  with  the  son  of  one  of  your 
statesmen  at  their  head,  have  expiated  at  the  garotte  the  penalty 
of  the  failure  (and  as  the  Resident  said  this,  he  held  up  a 
newspaper,  containing  the  news  of  the  ill-fated  expedition  of 
Lopez). 

My  heart  sickened  as  I  heard  for  the  first  time — and  being 
the  first  news  from  home — the  details,  accompanied  with  bitter, 
insulting  comment  in  the  Dutch  official  paper  of  Batavia,  of  the 
scourging  and  strangulation  of  the  misguided  men,  who  were 
slain  at  the  Moro ;  and  therefore  it  was,  perhaps,  with  some  little 
rising  emotion,  that  I  said  to  the  Resident : 

The  community  of  the  American  people  has  not  sought  to 
make  an  adventuring  ground  of  any  well-settled  dominion.  It 
has  placed  those  of  its  citizens  who  have  done  so,  beyond  the 
pale  of  its  protection.  Some  of  these  were  led  to  believe,  that 
the  great  body  of  the  natives  of  Cuba  did  not  desire  the  pres 
ence  of  twenty  thousand  alien  soldiery  for  the  protection  of  their 
industry,  and  therefore  they  went,  at  their  own  hazard,  to  aid  in 
driving  the  oppressors  away.  They  failed,  and  suffered  the"pain 
of  their  own  individual  failure,  and  not  that  of  the  American 
people  to  annex  the  island  of  Cuba. 


THE    CREOLES    AT    MINTO.  77 

And  then  other  matters  in  relation  to  the  East  Indian  Archi 
pelago  were  discussed  from  our  different  points  of  view.  After 
a  time,  the  subject  was  changed,  the  spirit  of  polite  taunt  was 
laid  aside,  and  the  ill-suppressed  scowl  that  had  darkened  the 
face  of  the  Resident,  gave  way  to  an  official  smile,  as  he  led 
the  way  to  the  Residency,  and  introduced  me  to  his  family. 

Thus  at  the  threshold  of  Netherland  India,  was  I  met  with 
a  strong  anti- American  feeling,  cloaked  under  a  guise  of  dip 
lomatic  politeness;  and  this  I  believe  to  be  the  feeling  of 
Dutch  officers  generally  in  the  East.  England  has  been  the  for 
mer  cause  of  fear  and  jealousy;  but  now  America,  since  the 
movement  towards  Japan,  takes  her  place  as  rival  with  Holland, 
for  a  share  of  the  monopoly  of  the  East  Indian  Archipelago. 

A  warmer  reception  awaited  me  at  the  house  of  my  Creole 
friend,  the  Havermeester.  I  found  there,  with  his  fair  wife,  two 
youthful  ladies  of  fine  features,  and  graceful  forms,  in  whose 
veins  a  shade  of  the  finest  Javanese  tint  was  mingled.  Their 
eyes  showed  a  glowing  curiosity,  and  that  my  visit  had  been 
looked  for. 

We  knew  no  language  in  common ;  they  no  English,  French, 
or  Spanish,  and  I  no  Dutch  or  Malay,  with  which  to  make  an 
interchange  of  thought.  But  the  younger  of  the  Creole  ladies, 
closing  her  fan,  and  holding  it  at  both  ends  with  a  forefinger  and 
thumb  of  each  hand,  brought  it  to  her  right  eye  like  a  telescope ; 
and  as  this  was  followed  by  a  burst  of  rich,  loud-ringing  laughter 
from  the  other  lady,  I  knew  that  I  was  in  the  presence  of  the 
fair  mockers  on  board  the  cruiser,  in  the  morning. 

The  same  graceful  pantomimist  talked  on  with  her  hands. 
She  pointed  to"  me,  and  pointed  to  the  west,  and  making  a  large 
circling  sweep  with  her  hands,  and  dilating  her  eyes,  said, 
"  America ; "  then  her  hands  made  a  wave-like  motion  through 


8^  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

the  air,  as  she  said,  den  zee,  den  zee ;  and  saying,  with  a  ques 
tioning  look  and  tone,  Flirt?  Minto?  tin?  I  shook  my  head,  to 
say  that  I  did  not  come  to  Minto  with  my  vessel  for  a  cargo  of 
tin.  Java  ?  Koffy  ?  said  the  lady.  Another  shake  of  my  head. 
Then  she  held  up  her  right  hand  to  her  mouth,  with  the  thumb  and 
forefinger  almost  touching  at  their  tips,  seeming  to  bite  at  some 
thing  small  and  pungent,  which  caused  her  to  put  out  the  tip  of 
her  tongue,  draw  up  her  face,  and  half  close  her  eyes,  saying, 
Sumatra?  as  she  did  this.  But  I  showed  by  another  shake, 
that  I  came  not  to  seek  pepper  in  Sumatra ;  and  to  all  the  at 
tempts  of  my  questioner  to  know  what  had  brought  me  to  the 
East,  I  smiled,  and  looked  a  negative. 

AVI i at  had  taken  me  to  the  East  ? — a  question  wonderingly 
asked  by  so  many  since,  by  curious  friends,  and  by  those  who  had 
the  power  to  question.  What  had,  indeed,  caused  a  man  to  go 
with  a  small  ship  into  regions  of  spices,  flowers,  and  placid  tropic 
seas  ? — where  none  came  but  with  great  ships,  to  be  quickly 
laden  with  bitter  berries,  a  nauseous  weed,  and  foul  drugs,  re 
jected  of  all  beasts  of  the  forest  and  fowls  of  the  air,  to  pamper 
the  vicious  stomachs  of  the  temperate  zone. 

What  had  brought  me  to  Java,  Sumatra,  or  Borneo,  if  I 
came  not  for  coffee,  pepper,  arrack,  and  tobacco  ?  What  was  in 
their  woods  and  groves — even  the  many-trunked  banyan  or  warm- 
gin,  pillared,  aisled,  and  vaulted,  like  fitting  temples  for  Jehovah 
on  earth ;  or  the  graceful  tamarind,  with  arrowy  leaf;  or  the 
tough,  dark  teak,  noblest  timber  for  ships;  and  mysterious,  dead 
ly  upas :  or  what  was  there  of  fruits — the  fragrant  mango,  the 
mild,  pulpy  dookoo,  and  delicately  luscious  mangosteen :  or  what 
of  flowers — the  many  parasitic  pendants  of  evergreen  boughs — 
the  odorous  champaka,  and  pigeon  flower,  and  the  kumbang  me- 
lati,  the  richly  fragrant  flower  of  love ;  or  of  beasts — the  great 


WEALTH    AND    WONDERS    OF    THE    EAST.  79 

elephant,  the  fierce  tiger,  the  rhinoceros,  tapir,  and  exquisite  lit 
tle  musk  deer :  or  winged  creatures — the  huge  vampire  bats  of 
Java,  stupefying  the  senses  with  their  musky  wings ;  the  swal 
lows,  casting  out  from  their  throats  the  glutinous  nests,  the  so 
much  prized  stimulant  of  sensual  Chinese  :  and  then  those  bright 
bodies  of  mingled  glistening  hues  of  gold,  ruby,  silver,  and  tur 
quoise,  floating  in  the  balmy  air,  and  justly  called  the  birds  of 
paradise ; — what  was  there  in  all  these,  unfit  for  freight  or  traffic, 
that  a  man  should  risk  so  much,  and  come  so  far  to  see  ? 

And  what  could  I  come  to  learn  about  the  eleven  millions  of 
docile,  and  industrious  people,  of  the  famed  land  of  Madjapahit, 
and  Matarem,  once  faithful  subjects  of  Rajahs,  and  Susunans, 
and  now  of  Governors  General,  ever  laboring  for  all  their  cruel 
and  unrighteous  masters  with  childlike  zeal ;  or  the  four  millions 
of  Sumatra — the  wandering,  fighting,  romantic  Malays — the  Scan 
dinavians  of  the  East,  and  vikings  of  modern  times :  or  the 
three  millions  of  Borneo,  the  frank  and  loyal  Dyaks,  yet  bloody 
hunters  of  human  heads ;  or  the  two  millions  of  Celebes,  famous 
for  adventurous  trade  and  female  rule :  or  the  one  million  of 
Bali,  brave  little  Bali — -that  dot  on  the  eastern  seas,  that  had 
twice  victoriously  withstood  the  power  of  Holland :  what  was 
there  in  all  the  twenty-five  millions  of  human  beings  of  the  East 
Indian  Archipelago,  in  all  the  wonders  of  its  islands  and  seas, 
that  I  should  come  for,  if  I  came  not  with  calico  and  cutlery, 
for  coffee  and  tobacco  ? 

What  could  I  come  for  ?  said  the  dull  Dutch  guardian  of  tin 
at  Minto ;  and,  as  he  said,  plain,  trading  Hollanders  would,  like 
himself,  wonder  to  learn.  What  did  I  see,  to  make  such  a  cruise 
to  pay  ?  many  an  American  friend  wanted  to  know ;  and  what, 
said  the  fingers  and  eyes  of  the  graceful  young  Dutch  Creole, 
could  bring  you  here,  if  coffee  and  pepper  did  not  ? 


80  PRISON  OK  wi:i/ri:vui:i>KX. 

I  reached  out  my  hand  over  tho  rail  of  the  verandah  where 
we  sat,  and  drew  towards  me  the  limb  of  a  jessamine  bush,  which 
becomes  a  tree  of  twenty  and  thirty  feet  high  in  these  islands. 
I  inhaled  the  sweet  fragrance  of  its  blossoms.  I  then  pointed  to 
some  banana  and  cocoa-nut  trees,  loaded  with  their  fruit ;  to  a 
tame  musk  deer,  running  about  in  the  yard  ;  to  a  bird  of  bright 
plumage,  the  pet  of  the  lady  of  the  Havermeester — to  many 
other  objects  that  were  new  to  me ,  and  then  imitating  her  wav 
ing  and  rocking  motion  with  the  hands,  repeating  her  words  of 
den  zee,  and  pointing  alternately  to  the  fruit,  flowers  and  ani 
mals,  and  to  my  eyes,  nose  and  lips,  gave  her  thus  a  pantomimic 
answer  to  her  wish  to  know  what  brought  me  to  the  East  Indian 
Archipelago. 

The  Havermeester,  who  had  left  us  after  introducing  me,  now 
returned.  The  ladies  asked  to  know  more  about  what  our  fingers 
and  eyes  had  not  fully  explained.  And  then  he  said  to  them,  as 
he  afterwards  translated  to  me,  that  I  came,  more  wishful  to  fill 
my  head  with  knowledge,  than  my  vessel  with  merchandise;  that 
I  saw  more  in  these  islands  than  cargoes  for  ships ;  was  more 
desirous  to  know  and  be  known  to  my  fellow-men  in  the  East, 
than  to  trade  with  them  :  and  something  he  added,  causing  the 
ladies  of  the  cruiser  to  smile,  and  look  a  little  confused.  And  I 
judged  that  he  spoke  of  some  especial  curiosity  which  led  me  to 
come  ashore  at  Minto. 

At  a  late  hour,  a  Malay  servant  of  the  Havermeester,  with  a 
cocoa-nut  bark  torch,  led  me  through  the  grounds  of  the  fort,  and 
along  by  the  sentries  in  the  pathway  leading  to  it,  and  then 
through  the  native  town  or  kampong,  to  the  boat  landing.  This 
servant,  or  oppas,  as  he  was  called,  then  left  me,  whilst  he  went 
to  rouse  up  the  boatmen  of  the  Havermeester,  to  take  me  on 
board  my  vessel. 


THE    BELGIAN    DESERTER.  81 

Whilst  standing  alone  near  a  small  embankment,  where  four 

thirty-two  pounder  cannon  are  planted,  and  fixed  at  point-blank 

range,  a  man  started  up  from  an  embrasure  in  the  embankment, 

and  spoke  to  me  in  French.     He  said  that  he  was  a  soldier  of 

the  garrison,  and  a  Belgian ;  and  he  wanted  to  desert  and  serve 

me  on  board  my  vessel.     He  had  been  vilely  beaten  for  a  trifling 

fault,  with  a  loaded  cane,  on  the  soles  of  his  feet  and  elsewhere, 

most  degrading  to  man ;  he  loathed  the  brutal  Dutch  service,  and 

would  gladly  serve  me  for  nothing,  until  I  should  return  to 

America ;  and  then  he  went  on  to  say,  that  my  visit,  and  my 

conversation  with  the  Resident,  had  been  that  evening  the  gossip 

of  the  garrison.     He  thought  that  Providence  had  sent  me  and 

my  ship  to  save  him.     He  had  crept  out  of  the  barracks  after  dark, 

and  had  followed  me  from  the  house  of  the  Havermeester.     If 

I  would  say  the  word,  not  only  himself,  but  eleven  other  soldiers, 

countrymen  of  his,  were  ready  to  come  on  board  my  vessel,  this 

night,  or  any  other  that  I  would  be  pleased  to  take  them  off  and 

receive  them. 

"Whilst  these  words  were  rapidly  uttered,  I  could  just  dis 
cern,  by  a  clear  starlight,  the  stout  frame,  yet  thin,  haggard  face 
of  a  young  man,  about  twenty-five  years  of  age.  I  had  begun  to 
speak,  when  the  glimmer  of  the  torch  of  the  returning  oppas 
caused  the  soldier  to  dart  out  of  sight,  within  the  embrasure  of 
the  embankment,  saying  as  he  fled,  he  should  watch  for  me  when 
I  went  ashore  again. 

Two  lascars  bore  me  on  their  shoulders  over  the  slimy  ooze 
of  a  beach  left  bare  by  an  ebbing  tide,  and  eight  lascars  pulled 
me  alongside  of  the  Flirt ;  then,  on  board  in  my  snug  cabin,  I 
was  soon  forgetful  of  the  polite  Havermeester,  the  suspicious 
Resident,  the  merry  Creoles,  the  bastinadoed  Belgian,  and  all 
that  happened  to  me  on  the  day  of  my  first  visit  at  Minto. 
4* 


THIRTEENTH  DAY. 

DURING  the  second  and  third  day  after  the  arrival  of  the 
Flirt  in  Minto  Roads,  there  was  a  steady  fall  of  rain,  with  gusty 
weather,  which  deterred  communication  between  the  vessel  and 
shore.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day,  a  naval  officer  came 
on  board  the  schooner,  to  pay,  as  he  said,  a  friendly  visit  to  the 
American  captain ;  but,  as  was  afterwards  shown,  he  came  as  a 
spy>  by  order  of  the  Resident  at  Minto, 

On  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day,  two  officers  and  the  phy 
sician  of  the  garrison,  came  on  board  the  Flirt,  and  invited  the 
commander  to  dinner  on  shore.  He  found  a  very  agreeable  and 
instructive  acquaintance  in  the  doctor,  who  spoke  very  good 
English,  and  had  spent  many  years  in  India.  His  term  of  ser 
vice  had  just  expired,  and  he  was  preparing  to  return  to  his 
native  country.  He  expressed  a  desire  to  visit  America,  and 
took  much  pains  to  gratify  the  wish  of  the  American  commander 
for  information,  who  thus  spoke  of  him  on  board  the  Palmer, 
and  of  his  visit  to 

THE    HOSPITAL    AT    MINTO. 

After  dinner,  the  doctor  accompanied  me  to  the  sick  ward, 
where  he  had  about  forty  patients,  one  half  Chinese,  one 
third  Malays,  and  other  people  of  the  Archipelago ;  and  the  re- 


HEALING    OF    WOUNDS.  83 

maining  portion  were  soldiers,  all  in  a  comfortable  and  cleanly 
state.  I  was  very  much  struck  with  the  quiet  and  patience 
of  the  native  invalids  as  contrasted  with  the  groaning  and  rest 
lessness  of  the  sick  Dutchmen ;  and  this  greater  passivity  under 
suffering,  of  all  colored  races  more  than  white,  seems  to  prevail 
throughout  the  world ;  but  this  is  most  strikingly  seen  among 
the  islanders  of  the  Eastern  seas ;  and  they  possess  another  phy 
sical  property,  the  ready  healing  of  their  bodies  from  wounds  or 
disease,  which  appears  in  strong  contrast  with  the  fevers,  festers 
and  gangrenes,  which  attend  any  severe  fleshly  hurt  received  by 
their  European  masters.  The  doctor  pointed  out  the  case  of  a 
Malay  woman,  who  had  been  fearfully  mutilated  with  a  hatchet ; 
she  had  received  a  furious  blow  in  the  face,  striking  the  cheek 
bone,  glancing  down  the  jaw  and  slicing  off  the  face,  a  large 
flake  of  flesh  which  hung  down  upon  her  shoulder ;  and  whilst 
attempting  to  ward  off  other  blows,  was  struck  between  the  fingers 
of  the  right  hand,  which  was  split  in  two  down  to  the  wrist ;  and 
yet  about  a  week's  care,  with  simple  bandages  of  linen  and  appli 
cations  of  pure  water  alone,  had  restored  the  wounded  flesh  to  a 
healthy  state,  with  every  promise  of  recovery ;  and  the  doctor 
spoke  of  other  native  cases,  who  had  been  readily  cured  of 
wounds,  which  would  have  been  inevitably  fatal  to  a  European. 
He  ascribed  this  ready  curability  of  the  Malay  and  Javanese  to 
the  simple  diet  of  rice,  birds  and  fish  upon  which  they  feed. 

The  doctor  pointed  out  what  was  curious  to  observe  in  the 
fort,  barracks,  and  native  town,  and  surrounding  country,  and  this 
was  the  substance  of  his  discourse  to  me  about 

THE   ISLAND    OF    BANG  A. 

This  island  is  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  in  length,  and 
will  average  forty  in  width,  and  there  are  between  fifty  and  sixty 


84  PRISON    OF    WELTEVHEPEX. 

thousand  people  upon  it ;  one  half  of  these  arc  the  aborigines, 
living  in  the  forest  and  hilly  fastnesses  of  the  interior  ;  they  are 
like  the  Sundese  of  Java,  the  Dyaks  of  Borneo,  and  the  Al- 
furas  of  the  more  southern  islands ; — the  rudest  of  savages,  and 
living  in  as  wild  a  state  as  when  the  first  European  visited  these 
shores.  They  have  no  political  organization  of  their  own,  and 
offer  nothing  in  their  savage  life  that  deserves  particular  mention. 

One  third  of  the  population  are  the  all-conquering  Malays 
living  upon  the  coasts,  who  have  invaded  this,  as  they  have  every 
other  island  in  the  East  Indian  Archipelago,  with  their  language, 
customs,  and  trade.  The  remaining  portion  are  Chinese,  the 
workers  of  the  tin  mines,  who  vary  in  number  between  eight  and 
ten  thousand.  Junks  full  of  these  people  arrive  from  China  with 
every  change  of  the  monsoon — and  the  same  junks  return  well 
filled  with  thrifty  Chinamen,  carrying  home  the  savings  of  their 
labor  in  the  mines  :  and  thus  there  is  a  continual  ebb  and  flow  of 
the  Chinese  population ;  but  the  Government  will  not  allow  their 
number  to  exceed  ten  thousand,  on  account  of  the  turbulence  of 
their  character ; — for  they  are  engaged  in  constant  feuds ;  and 
are  riotous,  like  the  various  factions  of  foreign  laborers  upon 
your  railroads  and  canals  in  America. 

Tin,  for  which  the  island  is  famous,  is  found  in  pellets  and 
nuggets,  of  native  ore,  in  surface  deposits  of  alluvial  soil;  and 
is  extracted  by  a  rude  process  of  washing.  The  yearly  quantity 
obtained  is  about  70,000  piculs,  or  4,500  tons  of  your  weight. 
Double  or  triple  the  quantity  might  be  obtained,  but  the  Govern 
ment  does  not  wish  to  glut  the  tin  market,  with  the  bounty  of 
metal  which  Banca  is  capable  of  yielding. 

Is  not  this  policy,  I  said,  a  remnant  of  that  old  unwise  spirit 
of  monopoly,  which  destroyed  great  quantities  of  spices  and  spice 
groves,  to  enhance  the  value  of  what  remained  ?  The  greater 


ISLAND    OF    BAM -A.  85 

abundance  and  cheaper  price,  would  have  caused  a  more  general 
use;  and  such  would  be  the  case  with  tin  :  were  it  cheaper  and 
mor«  plentiful,  it  would  be  largely  used  as  a  substitute  for  lead, 
for  water  pipes  and  other  purposes. 

The  Government  thinks  otherwise,  said  the  doctor ; — it  owns 
all  the  land  of  the  island  ;  and  no  person,  Dutchman  or  stranger, 
can  work  the  mines  without  its  permission,  and  must  deliver  all 
tin  obtained  to  Government,  at  the  fixed  price  of  13|  florins  per 
picul,  or  five  dollars  and  fifty  cents  of  your  money  for  125  pounds  ; 
and  as  that  weight  of  tin  in  your  markets  would  be  worth  about 
twenty  three  dollars,  you  will  perceive  that  the  Government  of 
Holland  must  derive  a  royal  revenue  from  the  tin  mines  of 
Banca. 

There  is  a  neighboring  island,  a  little  more  than  one  third  the 
size  of  Banca,  called  Billiton,  upon  which  tin  of  a  fine  quality 
has  recently  been  discovered ;  and  this  island  has  been  granted 
to  Prince  Henry  of  the  Netherlands,  to  enable  him  to  recruit  his 
diminished  revenues.  He  has  appointed  two  agents,  who  are 
now  about  to  commence  the  working  of  the  mines. 

Whilst  walking  upon  the  esplanade,  the  doctor  observed ;  You 
will  perceive  that  th»  means  of  defence  of  Minto,  these  simple 
earthworks,  with  half  a  dozen  cannon  mounted  upon  them,  hard 
ly  deserve  the  name  of  fort,  and  the  little  garrison  is  but  little 
more  than  the  force  of  a  guard-house.  One  hundred  and  twenty 
soldiers  are  all  the  military  force  upon  the  island,  to  keep  in 
order  the  ten  thousand  turbulent  foreign  laborers;  and  more- 
'  over  there  is  an  element  of  weakness  in  this  garrison,  as  in  all 
others  throughout  Netherland  India ; — more  than  one  half  being 
Belgians,  who  have  been  averse  to  the  Dutch  service,  and  ever 
ready  to  desert  from  it,  since  the  separation  of  their  kingdom 
from  that  of  Holland. 


86  I'HISON    OF    AVKI/l'KVKKm-IN. 

But  this  Government,  by  its  conciliatory  management  of  the  na 
tive  princes  and  chiefs  throughout  the  Archipelago;  and  by  its  ad 
mirable  system  of  police  surveillance,  is  enabled  to  control  sixteen 
millions  of  subjects,  with  less  than  ten  thousand  European  troops. 
The  princes  whilst  they  retain  the  veneration  of  their  people,  are 
willing  to  resign  their  substantial  power,  and  the  direction 
of  their  domains  to  the  superior  intelligence  of  their  European 
masters,  from  whom  they  receive  a  stipendiary  revenue.  The 
want  of  energy  of  the  unambitious  princes,  has  long  ceased  to 
threaten  the  disturbance  of  Netherland  sovereignty;  and  that 
is  further  maintained  by  the  fidelity  of  natives,  who  constitute 
the  entire  police  force.  The  oppas, — chief  Malay  or  Javanese 
attendant,  whom  you  have  seen  accompany  the  Resident,  Haver- 
meester  and  other  officers,  is  directly  paid  by  the  Government, 
and  reports  instantly  the  slightest  irregularity  in  the  conduct  of 
his  master. 

You  may  call  the  subsidiary  relation  of  the  native  princes 
with  the  Government,  a  wicked  conspiracy  of  sordid  intelligence 
with  imbecile  rank  to  fleece  the  simple  masses ;  and  the  police 
surveillance,  a  base  system  of  espionage ;  but  there  has  been 
nothing  in  the  history  of  other  European  dominations  in  the 
East,  or  of  Christian  and  civilized  domination  over  weak  and 
ignorant  aboriginal  races  upon  your  own  continent,  which  would 
furnish  to  Holland  a  more  disinterested  example. 

When  I  returned  on  board  the  Flirt,  after  my  visit  to 
the  doctor,  I  found  in  my  cabin  a  stranger,  a  man  about  thirty- 
five  years  of  age,  with  the  complexion  and  features  of  mixed 
European  and  native  race.  He  informed  me  that  he  was  master 
of  a  barque;  then  lying  in  the  roads,  belonging  to  the  island  of 
Bali,  which  had  been  chartered  by  the  Dutch  Government  to 
convey  some  troops  from  Batavia  to  Palembang  in  Sumatra, 


THE  CAPTAIN  OF  THE  BALI  BARQUE.  87 

where  the  Government  was  at  that  time  engaged  in  a  war  with 
some  native  tribes. 

He  went  on  to  say  that  he  had  called  partly  from  curi 
osity  and  partly  to  make  an  offer  of  services.  He  had  met  with 
American  commanders  at  Singapore,  and  other  points  in  the 
East  Indies,  from  whom  he  had  received  many  obliging  favors, 
and  so  felt  anxious  to  avail  himself  of  every  chance  to  make 
a  return  to  their  countrymen.  He  seemed  to  have  much  knowl 
edge  of  the  trade,  manners,  and  customs  throughout  the  Archi 
pelago,  and  possessed  of  that  general  information  most  needed  by 
a  stranger  desiring  to  cruise  in  the  Indian  seas.  It  was  his  de 
sign,  after  transporting  the  troops  on  board  his  vessel  to  Palem- 
bang,  to  sail  for  Singapore,  expecting  to  stop  on  the  way  at  the 
island  of  Linga,  the  Sultan  of  which  he  knew.  He  then  spoke 
of  the  remarkable  floating  town  of  Palembang ;  and  of  the  easy 
navigation  of  the  river  upon  which  it  was  situated.  My  curi 
osity  was  greatly  excited,  and  I  had  a  desire  to  accompany  the 
Balinese  barque  on  its  route  to  Singapore. 

I  told  the  Havermeester  my  wish  to  go  to  Palembang.  He 
said  the  risk  was  great,  there  was  little  to  see,  and  nothing  to  be 
gained.  The  water  way  thither  was  deep  and  swift  in  its  flow : 
at  the  mouth  was  a  bar,  not  easily  passed;  and  pirates,  ever 
ready  to  cut  off  a  small,  unarmed  ship,  lurked  with  their  prahus 
in  many  coves  and  islet  channels  near  by ;  the  banks  swarmed 
with  caymans,  tigers,  and  serpents ;  over  the  water  hovered 
clouds  of  fierce  insects ;  one  dozen  of  which  could  drain  the  life- 
blood  of  a  man,  and  war  raged  not  far  from  the  town ;  and  the 
law  of  war  was  there,  among  the  people  under  the  control  of  the 
Dutch  Governor,  who  was  a  cold,  harsh  man :  and  thus  the  Hav 
ermeester  warned,  and  said  he  wished  me  to  spend  the  rest  of 
the  northwest  monsoon  at  Minto. 


88  PRISON    OF    WELTKYREDEJt 

1  *aw  the  Resident  again.  He  was  more  cheerful  and  polite 
than  before.  He  had  heard  of  my  desire  to  follow  the  troops 
on  board  the  barque  from  Bali.  He  said  I  would  behold  the 
Venice  of  the  East,  a  city  amid  waters,  whose  people  were 
famed  for  their  skill  in  rare  filigree  work  in  gold,  and  in  curious 
lacquered  ware,  richer  than  that  of  Japan.  My  light  vessel 
would  easily  pass  the  bar  of  the  river ;  and  with  the  wind  that 
then  prevailed,  could  stem  the  stream  with  ease,  whilst  her  row 
of  ports  and  warlike  rig  would  keep  far  off  all  prowling  Malays ; 
and  so  the  Resident  seemed  to  wish  me  to  go. 

My  friend,  the  doctor,  knew  much  about  Palembang.  It  was 
the  largest  town  in  Sumatra,  and  was  well  worth  a  visit  to  see ; 
but  he  did  not  think,  with  the  Resident  or  Havermeester,  that 
there  was  such  peril  or  ease  in  going  there.  Knowing,  said  the 
doctor,  the  Creole's  frank  and  friendly  nature,  and  knowing  that 
you  have  pleased  him,  you  may  look  upon  his  opposition  to  your 
going,  as  given  with  the  best  intent ;  but  knowing  otherwise  of 
the  other  man,  I  would  warn  you  to  consider  well  what  he  sug 
gests. 

The  opposing  and  encouraging  counsel,  and  all  that  was  said, 
served  but  to  strengthen  my  desire  to  go  to  Palembang.  I  was 
not  then  prepared  to  visit  Sumatra,  as  I  had  planned  before ; 
but  I  had  found  a  good  companion  and  a  good  escort.  I  had  my 
vessel  in  good  repair,  and  my  men  were  willing  to  go.  The 
great  island  of  early  dreams  would  now  be  seen ;  and  so  I  re 
solved  to  follow  the  transport  ship  from  Bali. 

I  had  made  known  my  wish  to  have  a  Malay  servant  to  wait 
in  my  cabin,  and  to  help  me  learn  his  language.  I  said  that  I 
•wanted  a  simple  man  of  the  country, — one  who  knew  nothing  of 
European  service.  On  the  day  I  had  made  ready  to  leave 
Minto,  a  man  was  brought  to  me,  being  furnished  with  a  pass  by 


THE    CHINESE    SHIP    CHANDLER.  89 

the  secretary  of  the  Resident.  He  was  a  Malay,  about  thirty- 
five  years  of  age,  of  short  size,  with  a  broad,  yellow  face,  which 
had  a  look  I  did  not  like  at  first  ^  but  Bahdoo  Rachman,  as  he 
was  called,  thrusting  his  fingers  like  two  combs  together,  placing 
them  with  palm  down  upon  his  head,  then  crouching  low  at  my 
feet,  and  making  other  signs  to  show  his  submissive  will  to  serve 
me ;  he  thus  chased  away  my  first  dislike,  and  I  hired  him  for 
fifteen  Dutch  East  India  rupees,  or  five  dollars  a  month,  out  of 
which  he  had  to  buy  his  own  rice,  fish,  and  curry — his  chief 
food;  and  this  was  deemed  good  wages  for  a  servant  man  in 
Netherland  India. 

I  had  obtained  some  small  stores  from  the  chief  ship-chan 
dler  at  Minto,  a  shrewd,  jocular,  little  old  man,  who  had  gotten 
many  a  dollar  of  cumshaw  from  American  and  British  captains 
at  Hongkong,  and  his  native  Whampoa.  He  spoke  glibly  the 
few  words  of  the  mongrel  Anglo-Portuguese  lingua-franca  of 
the  open  ports  of  China ;  and  had  learned,  with  the  Chinese  tra 
der's  aptitude,  the  many  little  courtesies  which  were  most  grateful 
to  the  American  and  English  customer.  And  Lim  Boo  Seng  was 
a  good  sample  of  his  trading  countrymen,  every  where  thrifty 
and  successful  in  the  East.  I  went  to  see  him  before  leaving. 

Whilst  I  ate  of  kirnlo,  a  Chinese  chowder  of  chicken,  tri- 
pang,  bamboo  pith,  and  various  herbs  most  tastefully  seasoned, 
along  with  a  dish  of  shrimps  and  shredded  cocoa-nut,  the  little 
ship-chandler  entertained  me,  in  his  jargon,  with  much  gossip  about 
Minto,  and  the  condition  of  his  countrymen  on  the  island  of  Banca. 

The  Government  was  bad  to  Chinamen ;  they  had  to  hide 
their  dollars,  and  look  very  poor.  When  a  Chinaman  came  to 
Minto,  and  when  he  went  away,  he  had  to  pay  money.  When 
he  bought  a  wife,  he  had  to  pay  for  marrying  her ;  and  when  he 
died,  every  day  that  his  body  lay  in  his  own  house,  he  had  to  pay 


90  i-uisoN   OF  Avi:i/n:M!Ki>r:\. 


for  the  privik'iro  of  staying  above  ground.  The  Chinaman  works 
all  the  gold  and  the  tin,  and.  does  all  the  trading;  the  Javanese 
works  the  fields  ;  the  Malay  spies  ;  and  all,  said  Lira  Boo  Seng, 
are  robbed  by  the  Kumpany  Wolanda. 

Before  leaving  my  host,  he  gave  me  a  letter,  —  several  columns 
of  tea-chest  marks  upon  a  broad  sheet  of  yellow  rice  paper  ;  and 
this  I  was  to  deliver  to  his  friend  Oey  Soch  Tchay,  at  Palem- 
bang,  who  would  give  me  good  pork,  yams,  chickens,  milk,  and 
fruits  for  my  ship,  and  entertain  me  with  kimlo  and  tchoo  as  he 
had  done.  He  gave  me  some  curious  miniature  blocks  of  best 
Banca  tin  ;  and  with  many  pleasant  words  of  good  will,  I  and 
Liin  Boo  Seng  parted. 

I  then  went,  Bahdoo  following  me,  to  pay  a  last  visit  at  the 
house  of  the  kindly  Havermecster.  In  speaking  of  home,  I 
mentioned  a  name  that  caught  the  ear  of  his  lady.  She  ques 
tioned  me,  and  then  it  seemed  that  I  and  her  husband  descended 
from  a  common  ancestry  of  not  very  ancient  date,  —  from  a  scion 
of  European  nobility,  awhile  an  exile  in  Holland,  afterwards  em 
barked  for  the  East,  there  found  a  faithful  companion  in  a  sim 
ple,  loving  Javanese  girl  ;  and  the  husband  of  my  hostess  was 
the  fruit  of  that  love. 

This  was  an  exciting  discovery  to  my  Creole  friend,  and  to 
his  fair  European  wife,  who  was  eager  to  bring  out  all  the 
strong  points  of  her  husband's  claim  to  European  lineage,  —  a 
strong  wish  felt  by  every  Creole,  of  white  and  colored  race, 
throughout  the  world.  I  had  the  miniature  of  one  who  bore  the 
name,  and  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  him  from  whom  we  traced 
our  descent  :  the  lady  was  curious  to  see  the  portrait,  which  I 
\v;is  glad  to  offer  in  return  for  pleasant  attentions;  and  her 
hu.-bnnd  accompanied  me  on  board  my  vessel  to  obtain  it,  and 
there  to  bid  me  a  final  adieu. 


TROUBLE    ON    LEAVING    MINTO.  91 

Whilst  the  Havermeester  had  stepped  aside  to  order  his 
boat,  and  whilst  I  stood  near  the  embankment  where  the  guns  at 
point-blank  range  were  planted,  I  saw  a  soldier  lying  face  down 
wards,  and  seeming  to  sleep,  on  the  grass  within  the  covert  from 
whence  the  Belgian  had  come,  some  nights  before.  He  raised 
his  head,  and  I  saw  that  it  was  the  same  man.  He  made  a  slight 
beckoning  motion.  I  went  near,  and  heard  him  say,  I  will  be 
on  board  your  vessel  to-night,  with  eleven  of  my  countrymen 
well  armed,  who  want  to  desert  with  me,  and  to  serve  you. 

When  we  were  ready  to  push  off,  my  servant  suddenly  re 
called  to  mind  something  he  had  left,  and  needed  very  much. 
He  piteously  entreated  the  Havermeester  to  ask  of  me  to  let 
him  go  to  his  house,  promising  to  be  on  board  before  I  had  got 
up  my  anchor.  I  left  Bahdoo  behind,  and  went  with  the 
Havermeester  to  obtain  the  miniature,  who  returned  with  it  on 
shore.  When  I  wished  to  get  under  way,  I  found  that  two  of  my 
men  were  unfit  for.  duty,  and  having  only  four  able  men  and  a 
boy,  we  could  not  get  up  the  anchor,  and  so  I  went  ashore  again 
to  get  some  help,  and  to  bring  off  Badhoo,  who  delayed  his  return. 

Near  where  I  landed,  I  saw  a  young  native  woman,  dressed 
like  one  of  those  poor  unmarried  followers  called  nyaces,  who 
are  seen  at  all  times  at  the  heels  of  every  Dutch  trooper  and 
officer  in  the  East.  She  was  seated  near  where  I  had  seen  the 
soldier  lying  two  hours  before,  and  was  wringing  her  hands, — 
sobbing,  and  uttering  accents  of  despair.  I  asked  a  Dutch 
sailor  the  cause  of  her  grief  5  and  he  said  that  her  man,  a  Bel 
gian  soldier,  had  just  been  marched  off  to  the  guard  house. 

I  saw  the  Havermeester  again.  He  shook  my  hand  with  as 
much  warmth  as  before ;  but  he  met  me  with  a  constrained  look. 
He  could  not  explain,  but  expressed  a  hope  to  see  me  again  at 
Minto,  when  he  could  receive  me  as  a  relative,  though  so  remote 


92  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEX. 

a  one,  but  whom  it  was  his  delight  to  have  met.  He  would  send 
me  a  boat's  crew  to  help  me  get  under  way ;  and  as  he  bid  me 
God  speed,  there  were  marks  of  anxiety  in  his  face. 

I  had  sent  one  of  my  men  to  the  store  of  Lim  Boo  Seng  to 
get  some  forgotten  article  of  ship-chandlery.  The  man  came 
back,  saying  there  was  trouble  at  the  Chinaman's  shop  ; 
women  and  children  were  making  an  uproar ;  and  all  the  words 
that  my  sailor  could  get  out  of  the  son  of  the  old  man,  one  who 
helped  his  father  in  the  store,  was  "Resident,"  and  "papa." 

I  was  struck  with  some  vague  fear :  a  blow  seemed  to  have 
been  dealt  out  to  every  man  with  whom  I  had  spoken,  or  who 
had  spoken  to  me  freely.  And  yet  I  thought,  how  can  that  be  ? 
"\Vlio  could  have  told  what  the  Havermeester,  or  Chinaman,  or 
Belgian  said  to  me  ?  You  may  see,  as  I  group  these  facts  to 
gether,  who  was  the  spy ;  but  I,  during  the  excitement  and  occu 
pation  of  the  time,  did  not  then  suspect  the  simple  Bahdoo,  but 
took  him  gladly  with  me  on  board. 

As  soon  as  the  longshoremen  who  had  helped  to  get  up  the 
anchor,  had  left  the  Flirt,  the  Dutch  war  cruiser  in  the  road 
stead  loosed  her  sails,  and  followed  in  the  wake  of  the  schooner. 
The  Balinese  barque,  which  had  left  some  hours  before,  expect 
ing  me  to  follow,  was  still  to  be  seen  bearing  towards  the  mouth 
of  the  Palembang  river.  I  had  lost  my  desire  to  follow.  The 
late  events,  and  the  watching  cruiser,  led  me  to  expect  trouble, 
for  which  I  was  not  prepared.  I  felt  a  strong  presentiment  of 
coming  danger.  A  light  squall  came  up,  and  the  sun  having 
just  set,  the  cruiser  was  soon  lost  to  view ;  and  then  I  gave 

orders  to  my  sailing  master  to  head  the  schooner  for  Singapore. 

******** 

FOURTEENTH  DAY. 

SABBATH    ON    BOARD    THE    PALMER. 


FIFTEENTH  DAY. 


SOME  spirit  of  storm,  some  genii  of  the  Indian  isles,  seemed 
to  bar  the  way  of  the  Flirt  into  the  China  sea.  The  same  black- 
arched  wall  of  thunder  cloud,  that  had  before  shut  off"  the  way 
from  out  the  straits  of  Banca,  again  rose  up.  The  schooner  beat 
up  against  it  for  a  time  amid  thick  darkness,  strong  wind,  and 
rain ;  and  when  at  last  the  storm  wall  was  rent,  and  broke  away ; 
the  transport  barque  was  seen  by  a  clear  starlight,  a  cable's 
length  ahead,  and  riding  at  anchor  within  gunshot  of  the  bar  of 
the  Palembang  river. 

The  wind  and  the  current  setting  in  from  the  sea  of  China 
against  the  Sumatra  shore,  had  driven  the  Flirt  far  to  the  west, 
when  her  commander  had  hoped  that  he  was  north  of  Manopin 
Hill,  which  overlooks  Minto.  He  had  not  wished  for  this  en 
counter  on  leaving  port,  and  fain  would  pass  the  barque ;  but  as 
he  began  to  stand  off,  he  was  hailed  from  the  water',  and  then 
beheld  a  boat  right  under  the  schooner's  bows,  and  one  minute 
later,  the  master  of  the  transport  ship  was  on  the  quarter  deck 
of  the  Flirt. 

The  Balinese  had  some  hint  of  the  misgivings  of  his  consort, 
and  he  sought  to  remove  his  doubts ;  spoke  of  his  hopes  of  the 
pleasant  sail  in  company,  and  then  reminded  him  that  they  had 


94  PRISON    OF    WELTEVttEDEN. 

agreed  to  bear  an  equal  share  of  the  expense  of  a  skilful  pilot, 
familiar  with  the  rivers  and  coast  of  Sumatra,  with  Linga  and 
the  neighboring  islets.  An  officer  going  to  join  the  garrison 
at  Palembang,  had  come  with  the  master  of  the  barque.  He 
spoke  of  much  that  was  rare  and  worthy  to  be  seen ;  and  the 
commander  of  the  Flirt  was  induced  to  follow  his  friends  in  the 
barque. 

Whilst  the  commander  and  master,  and  the  Dutch  officer 
were  yet  talking,  they  descried  a  large  Malay  prahu  that  had 
shot  out  from  behind  a  thick-wooded  islet  near  the  bar, — bear 
ing  down  towards  the  schooner.  The  manoeuvre  and  direct 
approach  seemed  hostile.  There  was  an  anxious  look-out  on 
board  the  schooner,  for  with  her  handful  of  men,  and  utterly  de 
fenceless  state,  she  might  be  overpowered  and  plundered  by  the 
nimble  pirates,  before  succor  from  the  barque  could  reach  her. 

As  the  crowded  prahu  neared  with  threatening  aspect,  and 
the  people  on  board  the  schooner  made  ready  their  small  means 
of  defence,  to  beat  off  any  piratical  assault,  the  sailing  master  of 
the  Flirt,  an  experienced  officer  in  the  Indian  seas,  ordered  the 
ports  to  be  thrown  open,  ends  of  blackened  spars  to  be  run  out, 
and  lighted  lanterns  carried  along  the  deck.  The  prahu  checked 
her  course,  and  bore  away,  leaving  the  people  on  board  the  Flirt 
much  relieved. 

The  incident  inspired  a  spirit  of  wakefulness,  and  led  to  a 
discussion  in  the  cabin  of  the  Flirt,  about  piracy  in  the  East 
Indian  seas.  The  master  of  the  barque  related  many  curious 
incidents,  and  the  substance  of  his  discourse  was  told  by  the 
commander  of  the  Flirt,  to  his  friends  on  board  the  Palmer,  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  fifteenth  day  of  her  homeward  voyage  from 
Java,  when  he  spoke  of 


THE    PIRATE    PRAHU.  95 


PIRACY   IN    THE    MALAYAN    ARCHIPELAGO. 

I  have  often  had  to  deal  with  pirates,  said  the  Balinese  cap 
tain,  and  there  are  plenty  of  them — though  many  people  think 
not — still  to  be  met  with,  cruising  about  in  these  seas.  Eight 
years  ago,  I  went  with  a  small  fore  and  aft  schooner  to  Selwatti 
and  the  coast  of  Papua,  to  collect  a  cargo  of  triparig  to  carry  to 
Banyarmassing  in  Borneo. 

I  had  got  my  load  and  was  making  for  home.  I  had  run 
through  Morti  Straits,  between  Pulo  Morti  and  Gilolo,  and  was 
coming  in  sight  of  Pulo  Tagulanda,  when  I  saw  a  large  war 
prahu,  bearing  down  upon  my  little  craft.  This  was  my  first 
command,  and  I  had  not  kept  a  sharp  look-out,  so  that  the 
pirate  was  within  gunshot,  before  I  or  any  of  my  men  had  seen 
him. 

It  was  about  sunset.  The  land  breeze  was  going  back,  and 
the  sea  had  fallen  almost  a  dead  calm ;  and  it  was  the  sound 
of  the  pirate  oars  that  first  made  us  look  out.  The  prahu  was 
one  of  the  biggest ;  was  crowded  with  coolies  at  the  oars,  and 
with  tall  fighting  men  on  the  split  bamboo  deck  above.  I 
could  now  make  out  the  scarlet  jackets,  always  worn  by  the 
Lanun  pirates ;  they  twirled  their  limbs  in  battle  postures,  brand 
ishing  their  long  spears  and  golok  swords;  then  a  clang  of  gongs 
broke  forth  mingled  with  shouts  and  yells,  and  all  the  fuss  and 
fury  they  put  on,  whether  to  cut  off  a  boat  or  a  big  ship. 

My  whole  force  being  twelve  I)yak  sailors  and  their  wives, 
and  two  Chinamen,  cook  and  carpenter,  the  best  policy  was  to 
keep  still  and  bide  our  fate,  knowing  that  Lanuns  do  not  kill 
when  no  fight  is  made ;  and  so  it  was  with  us,  when  the  pirates 
had  sprung  over  the  schooner's  sides,  as  they  always  do,  all 


96  PRISON    OF    WEI.TEYRKPr.N. 

at  once,  by  laying  hold  with  a  long,  hooked  bamboo  upon  the 
bulwarks  of  any  craft,  whether  of  schooner  or  frigate  size ;  and 
then  with  the  muscles  of  arms  and  feet,  jerking  themselves 
upward,  turn  somerset  in  air,  and  with  a  flying  leap  alight 
on  deck,  and  go  to  work  with  poisoned  kriss,  rushing  first 
at  the  cabin  to  slay  the  master  ;  but  they  did  not  do  so 
this  time,  for  I  knew  their  talk,  hailed  them  as  they  cleared  the 
bulwarks ;  and  they,  seeing  me  and  my  folks  all  quiet,  and 
crouched  down  on  the  quarter-deck,  put  up  their  krisses,  ordered 
us  to  get  down  into  the  prahu,  plundered  the  schooner  of  what 
they  wanted  to  carry  away ;  the  panglima,  or  chief  captain  and 
his  officers,  taking  the  money,  arms,  and  fine  garments ;  the  men, 
the  coarser  booty ;  and  then  they  set  fire  to  the  schooner. 

I  and  all  my  men  except  the  two  Chinese,  were  stowed  away 
under  the  bamboo  deck.  We  were  made  to  squat  down,  with 
knees  raised  up,  our  wrists  were  lashed  down  to  our  ancles ;  and 
then,  putting  us  back  to  back,  we  were  made  fast  in  couples, 
with  thongs  of  cocoa-nut  bark  cord.  In  this  hampered  and  tor 
tured  state,  we  lay  all  the  time  of  our  stay  on  board  the  pirate 
craft.  But  my  poor  cook  and  carpenter  fared  worse.  They 
were  kicked  and  beaten  as  dog-eating  beasts,  the  moment  they 
reached  the  Lanun  deck ;  they  were  forced  down  on  their  backs, 
with  their  hands  lashed  behind  them ;  their  pig-tails  were  run 
through  a  hole  in  the  deck,  and  being  hauled  on  with  all  the 
strength  of  a  man,  so  as  to  raise  up  the  scalp  from  the  skulls 
of  the  tortured  men,  was  made  fast  below  ;  and  in  this  way  the 
wretched  Chinamen  passed  the  time  on  board. 

The  prahu  was  worked  by  forty  coolies  at  the  oar — poor 
naked  slaves,  mostly  kidnapped  from  the  small  islands  around 
Timor.  The  fighting  deck  was  manned  by  fifty  men,  tall  La- 
nuns,  and  some  of  tho  Rayat  Laut,  or  sea  people,  regular  pirates 


PIRATE  RENDEZVOUS  IN  BORNEO.  97 

of  these  seas ;  and  their  craft  was  commanded  by  a  half-breed 
Malay  Dyak,  an  old  fierce  villain,  called  Panglima  Besar,  the 
Great  Admiral,  as  his  name  signifies. 

The  fighting  men  never  put  a  hand  to  an  oar.  They  would 
feel  themselves  disgraced  by  having  any  thing  to  do  with  work  ; 
and  utterly  degraded,  if,  in  some  desperate  encounter,  they 
should  owe  their  safety  to  any  interference  of  the  coolies,  who 
are  allowed  no  part  in  the  business  of  fighting  and  robbing. 

We  had  a  steady  breeze  after  leaving  Pulo  Tagulanda.  The 
long,  deep,  sharp-built  prahu  made  good  time  with  its  heavy  mat 
sail ;  and  after  a  run  of  five  days,  we  came  in  sight  of  Tanjong 
Oonsang,  on  the  north-eastern  coast  of  Borneo  ;  ran  along  shore 
about  one  degree,  put  into  Kinibatangan  river,  ascended  one  of 
its  branches  a  short  distance,  and  came  to  anchor  at  a  small 
place  called  Kota  Baroo,  where  we  were  put  ashore,  and  sold  the 
same  day, — the  women  to  some  small  chiefs  living  up  the  coun 
try,  and  myself  and  men  to  several  panglimas,  or  pirate  captains, 
then  holding  rendezvous  at  Kota  Baroo. 

My  purchaser  was  called  Panglima  Djamaloodin,  a  young 
chief  from  the  Brunai  country.  In  a  few  days  after  he  bought 
me,  he  put  to  sea  with  a  complement  of  thirty  coolies,  myself 
among  the  number,  and  thirty-five  fighting  men,  chiefly  Malays 
and  Dyaks.  We  steered  south-east  down  the  coast,  doubling  cape 
Oonsang,  and  then  struck  out  a  course  due  south,  until  we  came 
to,  off  the  island  of  Menimboora,  which  is  near  the  most  eastern 
point  of  Borneo.  The  pirate  had  passed  several  trading  prahus 
without  noticing  them,  and  it  was  plain  that  there  was  some 
especial  expedition  on  foot. 

We  came  into  a  small  bay  after  sunset.     Our  sampan,  or 
canoe  tender,  was  launched.     The  Panglima,  with  six  men  well 
armed  got  down  into  it,  each  one  having  his  kriss,  a  two-handed 
-5  • 


98  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

pedang  sword,  and  a  long  seuapaiig,  or  musket  of  Dyak  make ; 
and  I  and  three  ceolies  were  ordered  to  paddle  them  ashore. 
We  went  about  a  mile  up  a  small  creek,  and  pulled  into  a  thick 
rotan  jungle,  where  Djamaloodin  and  four  of  the  armed  men  got 
out,  leaving  two  in  the  sampan,  with  their  senapangs  pointed  at 
myself  and  companions,  ready  to  fire  at  the  first  one  who  made  a 
suspicious  move. 

In  about  half  an  hour  after  the  Panglima  had  left,  -we  heard 
the  firing  of  several  shots ;  then  we  heard  faint  sounds  of  screams 
of  women.  Again  we  heard  them  nearer  and  louder,  and  in  a  little 
while  the  commander  appeared,  bearing  up  the  body  of  a  woman, 
whom  he  held  around  the  neck  and  waist  in  a  way  to  confine  her 
arms,  whilst  one  of  his  men  held  up  her  feet.  Two  other  women 
•were  following,  driven  along  with  the  muzzles  of  the  senapangs, 
by  the  three  men  behind  them.  All  the  time  whilst  in  the  sam 
pan,  and  when  we  got  on  board  the  prahu,  the  woman  in  the 
arms  of  the  Panglima,  whom  I  now  saw  by  a  clear  moonlight  to 
be  quite  young  and  exceedingly  pretty,  continued  to  scream,  and 
to  make  violent  efforts  to  get  loose. 

When  on  board  the  prahu,  the  Panglima  tried  very  hard  to 
soothe  his  prize.  She  seemed  to  be  quieted  by  his  caresses,  and 
her  struggles  and  sobbings  had  ceased  altogether.  I  was  just 
thinking  how  foolish  to  make  such  a  fuss  at  first,  and  then  give 
up  so  easily,  when  suddenly  I  heard  a  quick  rush  of  feet  over 
head,  a  sharp  cry  of  pain  from  a  man,  a  plunge  into  the  water, 
then  another  and  another,  and  by  and  by  two  good  Dyak  swim 
mers  came  up  on  my  side  of  the  prahu  with  the  Panglima's  cap 
tive  in  their  arms. 

When  the  resolute  young  woman  was  brought  on  deck,  I 
heard  the  Panglima,  who,  it  seems,  must  have  been  wounded  by 
her,  call  out  binatang,  or  wild  beast, — a  common  expression  of 


RESOLUTE    VIRTUE    IN    THE    ARCHIPELAGO.  99 

spite  and  anger ;  then  I  heard  the  sound  of  a  heavy  blow,  and 
the  fall  of  a  body  just  above  me,  and  a  scream  from  the  same 
voice  that  had  shrieked  in  the  jungle.  A  horrible  order  was 
then  given  to  all  the  pirates.  Two  crevices  between  the  bamboo 
splits  just  above  my  head  were  pried  open  with  spears.  I  saw  some 
delicate  little  fingers  passed  through ;  and  the  prises  being  taken 
away,  the  bamboo  splits  tightened  up,  squeezing  blood  from  those 
fingers,  and  screams  of  agony  from  the  poor  girl,  who,  it  seems, 
was  laid  on  her  back,  her  hands  stretched  out  and  made  fast  in 
the  atrocious  way  I  have  told  you. 

The  scene  on  the  bamboo  deck,  had  drawn  off  all  attention 
for  a  time  from  the  coolies  below.  The  bamboo  vice  had  hardly 
griped  the  girl's  fingers,  when  I  seized  a  pointed  stick,  pried 
open  the  splits,  and  shoved  out  the  fingers.  The  victim,  on  feel 
ing  herself  loosened,  sprang  up,  and  I  saw  her  plunge  into  the 
water  again,  followed  by  a  dozen  of  yelling  pirates.  She  dove 
right  down.  For  a  minute  I  looked  on  the  water,  whilst  the 
baffled  pirates  struck  out  in  various  directions ;  but  no  girl  was 
to  be  seen,  and  I  am  sure  the  poor  creature  went  resolutely 
down,  and  perished  beneath  the  waters. 

I  began  to  think  of  myself.  I  knew  that  some  cowardly 
cooly  would  tell  of  what  I  had  done  ;  and  then  it  would  be  folly 
to  hope  for  mercy.  With  the  chance  of  a  cruel  death  before  me 
on  board  the  prahu,  I  thought  I  had  better  now  make  an  effort 
for  my  life,  whilst  confusion  still  prevailed.  I  was  quickly  in 
the  water,  and  being  as  good  a  swimmer  as  any  of  the  race  of 
my  mother,  I  felt  that  I  might  bid  defiance  to  the  pursuing 
pirates,  of  whom  I  got  several  yards  start  before  I  was  descried. 
My  limbs  were  almost  free,  whilst  they  had  on  their  tight  fight 
ing  clothes.  As  soon  as  I  had  got  under  shelter  of  a  piece  of 
rotan  jungle,  I  sank  down,  being  a  tolerably  good  diver,  and 


100  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

remained  under  water  about  half  a  minute,  then  rose  up  gradu 
ally.  As  my  head  got  above  the  surface,  I  could  feel  the  lunge 
in  the  water,  from  the  heel  of  the  last  pirate  who  passed  over 
me. 

I  remained  in  the  jungle  a  short  while,  till  the  pirates  gave 
up  the  search,  and  they  returned  on  board  the  prahu.  I  then 
got  on  to  firm  grousd,  and  walked  up  the  creek  bank,  to  the 
point  where  we  had  pulled  in  with  the  sampan ;  there  I  struck 
into  the  path  taken  by  the  Panglima  and  his  men;  for  with  all 
my  suffering  and  state  of  apprehension,  I  felt  a  strong  curiosity 
to  go  to  the  place  where  the  women  had  been  captured,  thinking 
I  had  something  to  tell  that  might  be  of  satisfaction  to  their 
friends.  I  had  not  gone  far,  when  I  saw  a  gleam  of  light;  by 
and  by,  a  red,  smoking  mass,  at  the  edge  of  a  small  sawah,  or 
rice  field :  and  going  nearer,  I  beheld  the  burnt  ruins  of  several 
large  cabins.  Among  the  red  embers,  I  saw  the  roasted  bodies 
of  two  human  beings;  and  three  more  lay  near  by — two  men, 
a  boy  and  a  girl,  and  an  old  woman ;  the  men  with  bullet-holes 
in  them,  and  all  terribly  gashed  with  ragged  kriss  wounds. 

I  turned  sick  at  the  sight  of  what  I  knew  must  have  been  the 
pirates'  work.  I  felt  afraid  to  stay  any  longer  on  the  island,  ex 
pecting  to  be  massacred  by  any  of  its  people  who  should  find  me 
near  the  scene  of  the  bloody  violence.  I  returned  to  the  creek 
bank,  and  remained  there  till  daylight,  hoping  to  find  some  fish 
erman's  sampan,  with  which  I  could  put  to  sea.  I  found  one  as 
I  expected,  and  on  the  same  day  was  picked  up  in  a  half-dead 
state  in  the  Straits  of  Macassar  by  a  Chinese  junk  bound  for 
Samarang. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  story  of  the  Balir.ese  captain,  the 
young  Dutch  officer  who  had  accompanied  him,  an  assistant 


ENGLISH    AND    DUTCH    MAKT,¥lkli 


surgeon  going  to  join  the  garrison  at  Palcmbang,  said  to 
me  in  French :  You  will  hear  a  great  many  strong  stories 
about  pirates  in  these  seas,  and  especially  in  the  yarns,  as  you 
say  in  English,  of  your  brother  sailors ;  but  from  my  experience 
on  board  of  several  of  the  cruisers  of  my  Government  in  these 
seas,  I  can  vouch  for  the  entire  correctness  of  the  captain's 
story,  as  regards  the  actuality  of  piracy  of  such  a  character  in 
the  Archipelago.  The  kind  of  vessels,  weapons,  habits,  costume, 
mode  of  attack,  and  all  the  particulars  set  forth  in  the  narrative, 
I  know  to  be  strictly  correct. 

Piracy  continues  to  infest  these  seas,  almost  as  much  as  be 
fore  the  first  European  keel  entered  them.  Great  pirate  commu 
nities  still  exist  in  the  islands  of  the  sea  of  Mindoro,  of  Sulu, 
and  Molucca,  issuing  forth  sometimes  in  fleets  of  prahus,  carry 
ing  many  hundreds  and  even  thousands  of  warriors.  They  cut 
off  large  ships  that  lie  becalmed,  make  descents  upon  small 
islands,  and  several  times  have  dared  to  attack  Government  ships 
of  war,  and  not  always  without  success.  Holland  has  striven  to 
establish  and  maintain  an  efficient  maritime  police  within  the 
Archipelago;  and  with  that  intent,  stipulated  with  Great  Britain 
in  the  treaty  of  1824,  for  a  joint  action  in  the  suppression  of 
piracy  in  the  Eastern  seas.  But  England  has  been  negligent  in 
doing  her  part  in  compliance  with  that  article  of  the  treaty,  and 
Holland  alone  is  insufficient  to  accomplish  the  task. 

I  said  to  the  Dutch  officer  that  ll  thought  the  insignifi 
cance  of  British  interests,  situated  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
Archipelago,  at  Pulo  Pinang,  Malacca,  Singapore,  and  Labuan, 
bore  such  a  slight  proportion  to  the  great  treasure-fields  of  the 
Netherlands,  in  Java,  Sumatra,  the  Moluccas,  and  all  throughout 
the  Archipelago,  that  the  more  negligent  patrol  of  the  less  in 
terested  party  ought  not  to  be  wondered  at ;  but  the  world  had 


162  PITIiSON   OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

heard  of  the  labors  and  wise  policy  of  Sir  James  Brooke,  who 
with  some  aid  from  the  British  Government,  seemed  to  have 
done  more  towards  breaking  up  great  nests  of  piracy,  and  restor 
ing  a  vitiated  and  dissolute  people  to  the  amenities  of  civilized 
life,  than  all  the  power  of  Holland  had  accomplished  during  its 
empire  in  India. 

You  derive  your  information,  said  the  Dutch  officer,  from 
British  writers,  who  furnish  you  in  America,  with  plentiful  abuse 
of  every  European  nation  that  has  braved  the  power  or  com 
peted  with  the  trade  of  England.  Brooke  was  an  adventurer, 
who  took  advantage  of  the  weakness  and  cupidity  of  a  miserable 
Malay  Rajah,  and  secured  a  possession  in  Borneo.  England 
being  prevented  by  treaty  from  gaining  any  possessions  in  any 
part  of  the  Archipelago,  south  of  Singapore — was  eager  to  sus 
tain  one  of  her  subjects  in  a  territorial  foothold  upon  this  great 
island ;  and  thus,  under  the  cloak  of  his  sovereignty,  secure  what 
would  be  too  gross  a  breach  of  national  faith  to  attempt  other 
wise.  Hence  the  support  of  Brooke  in  the  so-called  suppression 
of  piracy,  which  resulted  in  the  cession  to  his  government  of  the 
island  of  Labuan. 

The  Balinese  captain,  who  had  not  been  a  party  to  the  con 
versation  that  was  carried  on  in  the  French  language,  roused  up 
at  the  mention  of  Sir  James  Brooke;  and  learning  the  state 
ments  of  the  Dutch  officer,  said  with  some  warmth  ;— Rajah  Brooke 
has  done  more  to  break  up  the  pirates  in  these  seas,  than  the 
Company  (the  Netherland  India  Trading  Company)  ever  did  or 
will  do ;  and  the  British  have  spent  ten  times  the  value  of  La 
buan  in  breaking  up  the  bloody  Serebas  and  Sakarran  pirates. 
I  remember  well  the  different  times,  when  old  Cochrane,  and 
Ki'ppel,  Mundy  and  Belcher,  with  the  Dido,  the  Nemesis,  the 
Agincourt,  the  Spiteful,  and  Brooke's  own  little  Iloyalist,  pun- 


RAJAH    BROOKE    VINDICATED.  103 

ished  the  rascally  Tunku  AH  Omar  at  Brune ;  and  broke  up  the 
murdering,  head-hunting  Dyaks,  all  along  the  west  coast  of  Bor 
neo.  Six  months  charter  of  any  one  of  those  ships,  was  worth 
all  the  trashy  coal  that  can  ever  be  got  out  of  Labuan ;  and  as 
for  Brooke  being  an  adventurer,  I  can  say,  that  there  is  not  an 
other  government  in  all  India,  on  the  continent,  or  among  these 
islands,  where  so  much  has  been  done  to  raise  up  the  people  of 
the  country,  as  in  Brooke's  Rajahate  of  Serawak. 

The  Dutch  officer  replied  by  some  allusion  to  Malacca,  the 
birth-place  of  the  Balinese  captain ;  hence  his  British  predilec 
tions.  The  latter  made  a  reply  offensive  to  the  Dutchman,  who 
muttered  something  in  which  the  word  liplap  was  heard, — a  con 
temptuous  designation  of  half-breeds  in  the  Archipelago,  as  the 
word  cheechee  is  in  continental  India.  The  bronze-green  skin 
of  the  Dano-Malay  turned  of  an  ashy  hue,  with  a  dark  mottled 
shade,  his  dark  eyes  dilated  with  bitter  ferocity,  and  with  arms 
thrown  back,  and  fingers  claw-like,  curving  and  spread  out,  he 
seemed  about  to  make  a  wild-beast  spring,  when  I  stepped  for 
ward  and  interposed  between  the  European  and  the  infuriated 
half-breed.  A  semblance  of  peace  was  restored ;  and  with  ill-sup 
pressed  flashings  of  hate  and  vengeance,  the  Balinese  captain 
returned  with  his  passenger,  at  a  late  hour,  on  board  the  barque. 


I  know  something  about  those  bloody  pirates,  said  the  Boat 
swain.  When  a  lad  I  was  on  board  one  of  our  Beverly  whalers, 
homeward  bound,  running  through  Gasper  Straits.  We  were 
hard  up  for  grub,  nothing  but  beans,  which  some  Beverly  skip 
pers  think  is  enough  for  men  any  time,  but  not  so  with  ours. 
He  wanted  to  send  a  boat  ashore,  to  get  some  yams,  and  other 
small  truck  from  the  yellow  scamps  on  Banca ;  and  running  in 


104  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

too  close,  we  got  becalmed  under  the  lee  of  the  land,  and  there 
lay  all  night.  A  small  prahu  came  alongside  and  wanted  to  ex 
change  some  trade  for  powder,  but  we  had  none.  Our  old  man 
had  been  in  these  seas  afore,  and  told  us  to  keep  a  sharp  look 
out.  It  had  just  struck  seven  bells  in  the  first  watch  after  the 
dog  watches.  I  was  lying  on  the  booby  hatch,  thinking  of  the 
folks  in  old  Maine,  and  looking  out  landward ;  all  at  once,  I  see 
three  dark  looking  things,  low  in  the  water,  shoot  out  of  a  small 
bight  of  a  bay,  and  make  towards  our  ship.  The  old  man  told 
us  to  make  ready  for  pirates,  who  were  coming  down  upon  us  in 
big,  long  prahus.  We  had  some  small  arms,  and  two  nine 
pounders ;  but  our  powder  was  run  out.  The  chances  were  small 
for  us  to  beat  off  ten  times  our  force,  with  handspikes,  harpoons 
and  whale  spears.  Five  minutes  more,  and  all  our  throats  would 
be  cut ;  but  quick  as  thought,  the  old  man  had  all  the  bottles 
brought  out,  smashed  and  strewn  on  deck,  fore  and  aft,  starboard 
and  larboard,  and  bid  me  and  the  cook  to  stand  by  the  coppers, 
that  luck  had  full  of  boiling  slush  at  the  time.  I  had  just  got  a 
ladle  in  my  hand,  when  over  they  came,  the  yellow  varmint,  just 
as  the  Balinese  skipper  said,  flying  over  the  bulwarks;  but 
wasn't  there  a  screech  from  a  hundred  yellow  devils,  as  they  lit 
with  naked  feet  on  the  broken  glass,  that  lay  pretty  thick ;  then 
the  old  man  let  them  have  the  few  shots  we  had  left,  and  charged 
with  the  harpoon  and  whale  spears.  The  villains  were  checked  5 
they  yelled  with  pain,  and  over  they  went,  back  to  their  prahus. 
Now  was  our  time,  myself  and  the  cook,  and  we  let  them  have 
it  hot  and  fast,  the  scalding  anointment ;  and  they  struck  out  for 
land  with  another  kind  of  chorus  to  what  they  came  down  upon 
us  with.  We  had  five  bodies  to  throw  overboard. 


SIXTEENTH  DAY. 

WHEN  morning  came,  the  American  schooner  got  under  way, 
and  bore  up  close  in  the  wake  of  the  Balinese  barque  that  stood 
in  towards  the  mouth  of  the  Soonsang  branch  of  the  Palembang 
River.  They  crossed  the  bar  at  about  three-quarters  flood  tide 
when  there  was  three  fathoms  water  upon  it,  and  five  fathoms 
immediately  within  the  bar.  At  some  points  there  is  no  less 
than  four  fathoms  water  on  the  bar  at  flood  tide.  In  coming 
in  towards  the  bar,  there  are  several  beacons,  which  were  all 
passed  to  the  south-east  of  them,  except  the  two  outside,  which 
were  passed  between  bearings  got : — Tacked  first  with  Eastern 
apparent  point  of  river  bank,  (but  in  reality,  an  islet  in  mid- 
channel,)  S.  W.  by  S.  I  S. ;  the  W.  point  of  entrance,  N.  W.  by 
N.  close  to  outermost  S.  E.  stake  in  two  and  a  half  fathoms : 
northern  point  of  land  in  sight  after  passing  all  the  beacons  north 
by  west.  Steered  up  near  the  eastern  bank  of  the  stream,  hav 
ing  a  slack  current  of  not  more  than  one  and  a  half  knots  an 
hour;  yet  the  wind  falling  to  a  dead  calm,  the  barque  was 
obliged  to  launch  all  her  boats,  and  haul  on  her  head  with  oars, 
at  a  creeping  rate;  whilst  the  schooner  having  sweeps — long 
oars  to  be  handled  by  four  men,  and  being  fitted  with  rowlocks 
in  her  ports,  she  glided  with  good  speed  up  stream,  with  only  two 
sweeps  out,  her  weak  force  preventing  her  from  using  her  full 
complement  of  six.  The  Flirt  was  making  three  knots  against 


106  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

the  stream,  and  might  have  made  a  run  of  thirty  and  some  odd 
mill's  before  nightfall;  but  as  her  consort  was  dragged  along 
slowly,  and  her  men  in  the  boats  becoming  exhausted,  the  barque 
and  schooner  came  to  anchor  in  eight  fathoms  water,  in  mid- 
channel,  about  fifteen  miles  from  the  bar,  where  the  river  was 
about  half  a  mile  wide.  At  this  point,  after  coming  to  anchor, 
they  were  visited  by  a  Malay  chieftain,  and  the  commander 
of  the  Flirt  thus  described  to  his  friends  on  board  the  Palmer, 
the  visit,  and  his  first  observations  upon 


THE    SOONSANG   RIVER. 


As  with  measured  tread  on  deck,  and  sailor's  song,  the  long 
blades  of  the  sweeps  rose  and  dipped,  the  schooner  glided  on  up 
stream  with  rippling  sound.  On  either  bank,  a  thick  cane  jun 
gle,  overtopped  here  and  there  with  the  atap  palm,  came  down 
to  the  water's  edge.  Dark  and  shapeless  caymans  lay  upon,  and 
mingled  with  muddy  rafts  of  logs,  lodged  on  bars,  and  by  the 
jungle  border;  and  from  the  dark  green,  leafy,  wooded  shore, 
there  came  thrilling  wafts  of  flowery,  woody  aroma. 

Towards  nightfall,  a  gentle  breeze  from  the  eastern  bank 
brought  sweeter  quaffings  of  scented  air,  rich  as  the  music  swell 
that  first  stole  over  me  from  off  the  island's  ocean  shore ;  and 
then,  as  the  shade  grew  deeper,  mingled  sounds  rose  up,  blend 
ing  with  the  bird-notes  of  the  day ;  but  harsher, — some  hoarse 
and  ruttling;  then  distant,  hollow  boomings,  and  long-drawn 
notes,  cracklings  in  the  brake,  the  monkey's  chattering  cry; 
and  the  quick,  strong  tiger  caterwaul. 

On  the  western  bank,  some  dwellings  could  be  dimly  seen 
through  openings  in  the  jungle; — low  huts,  on  high  posts  of 
small  bamboo  frames,  with  broad  leaf  roofs;  and  when  off  these 


MOOHA    SOONSANG. 


107 


signs  of  human  habitation,  we  came  to  anchor,  midway  between 
them  and  the  wild  conservatory  and  concert  on  the  eastern  side. 
A  skiff  was  seen  to  put  off  from  the  point  where  dwellings 
were  seen.  It  was  urged  quickly  along  by  four  paddle  blades ; 
and  as  it  neared  the  schooner,  a  long  bright  skiff  was  made  out, 
some  thirty  feet  in  length,  with  both  ends  raking  and  tapering 
off  to  points,  like  sharp  gondola  beaks;  the  sides  and  whole 
body  of  the  buoyant  skiff  were  glistening  with  the  hue  and  polish 
of  fine-dressed  maple-wood;  and  this  was  a  tambangan — the  Su- 
matran  canoe. 


A  young  and  rather  handsome  man  stepped  from  the  tam 
bangan  on  board  the  schooner.  His  face  of  mingled  gold  and 
olive  tint,  wore  the  look  of  a  tasteful  and  inquiring  mind.  He 
was  all  robed  in  silk;  a  long  and  flowing  coat  made  of  deep 
green,  hand-spun  thread,  flecked  with  gold ;  a  scarlet  vest,  but 
toned  from  the  throat  down  to  the  waist,  around  which  the 
ample  girth  of  a  fantastic  figured  skirt,  was  lapped  and  folded, 
then  under-tucked  to  hold  it  on  the  hips ;  and  from  out  these 
laps  and  folds,  a  diamond  crusted  hilt  and  part  of  a  golden 
sheath  were  seen. 


108  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

The  movement  of  the  young  man  was  staid  and  easy ;  and 
he  bowed  and  held  forth  his  hand  with  a  strongly  impressive 
grace.  I  should  have  listened  in  vain  to  the  softly  modulated 
words  that  came  from  his  mouth,  had  not  an  interpreter  been 
near.  The  Balinese  captain  had  left  his  vessel  simultaneously 
with  the  approach  of  the  young  chieftain,  and  now  stood  beside 
him  on  my  quarter-deck. 

When  seated  in  my  cabin,  my  Suinatran  visitor  said  in  very 
soft-sounding  words,  that  he  was  a  Demang,  or  chief  in  authority 
over  the  campong  or  village  of  which  we  beheld  glimpses 
through  the  jungle.  It  was  called  Moora  Soonsang,  whose  people 
were  fishermen — spending  all  the  time  in  the  using  or  in  the 
making  of  nets;  and  in  the  gathering  and  curing  of  atap  (a 
species  of  palm  leaves)  for  the  trade  of  Palembang. 

His  eyes,  to  use  his  own  words  as  translated  to  me,  had  won 
dered  at  a  strange  banner  coming  up  the  river,  not  like  that  of 
Arab,  English,  or  Company,  or  any  other  that  he  had  seen ;  and 
he  had  looked  with  much  heart-liking  upon  the  little  black  ship, 
like  the  ulang  bird,  with  golden  beak  and  proud  swelling  breast, 
walking  with  dipping  feet  against  the  running  waters;  and  he, 
the  slave,  had  presumed  to  come  and  see  the  pretty  ship,  and 
him  who  ruled  her  ways. 

After  my  reply  to  his  complimentary  words,  we  spoke  of  my 
country,  voyage,  condition  of  my  vessel  and  object  in  visiting 
Palembang.  When  I  came  to  speak  of  having  no  arms,  no 
means  at  all  for  defence  or  offence,  the  Demang  shook  his  head 
with  a  good-humored  expression  of  disbelief.  Many  evil  men 
prowled  about  these  waters,  which  the  American  captain  must 
know,  said  the  Demang;  and  he  is  too  wise  to  float  on  a  sea-bird 
that  has  no  beak  or  talons. 

The  orang  badjak — pirates — said  he,  lie  in  wait  with  prahus 


DEMANG    OF    SOON8ANG.  109 

near  every  quallah  (a  river  mouth) ;  all  the  length  of  Pulo  Per- 
cha  (a  native  name  of  Sumatra).  No  towns  are  near  the  qual- 
lalis,  and  the  coast  of  Pulo  Percha  has  no  people  except  alone 
the  Moora  Soonsang;  which  only  is  not  burnt  and  harried,  be 
cause  fish  soon  spoil ;  atap  is  of  great  bulk  and  little  worth ;  and 
poor  fishers  make  poor  slaves;  but  this  pretty  ship,  this  cabin 
filled  with  rich  things,  would  make  good  plunder,  and  the  pirate 
kriss  would  not  spare  the  gentleman  before  me,  if  his  ship's  open 
mouths,  pointing  to  the  ports,  have  no  biting  teeth. 

The  Deinang  said  that  no  man  had  ever  entered  the  Malay  coun 
try  before,  without  kriss  or  senapang,  powder,  and  ball.  The  Por 
tuguese,  the  English,  ths  Hollander,  had  all  come  with  great  guns 
and  much  power.  The  people  from  the  land  of  the  starry  flag  he 
saw  must  be  betuah  (meaning  sacred,  not  to  be  hurt,  as  some 
men  are  believed  to  be  by  Malays),  if  they  went  abroad  without 
arms,  fearless  of  Dutchmen  and  pirates. 

The  Deniang  had  brought  in  his  tambangan,  to  present  to 
me,  some  fine  large  trout  shaped  fish,  called  iJcan  guramee,  a 
large  bunch  of  bananas,  some  'mangoes  and  a  lot  of  fat  snipes, 
with  which  I  was  told  the  jungle  abounded,  and  were  caught  by 
scores  in  nets.  For  these  I  gave  him  a  small  can  of  French 
preserved  butter,  and  some  fine  cut  Turkish  tobacco,  with  which 
he  went  his  way  well  pleased. 

You  were  much  too  polite  to  that  Malay  rascal,  said  my 
Balinese  friend,  as  soon  as  the  silken  robe  of  the  Demang  had 
passed  over  the  gangway.  He  is  a  spy  of  the  Dutch — very 
likely  a  friend  of  the  pirates ;  and  would  sell  you  to  either  for 
the  price  of  the  smallest  of  one  of  those  sparklers  on  the  handle 
of  his  kriss.  You  must  keep  a  sharper  look  out  for  the  beastly 
Dutch  and  the  oily  Malays. 

I  was  unwilling  to  believe  that  the  half-breed's  caution  was 


110  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

called  for  on  this  occasion,  and  I  could  not  think  that  the  gen 
tlemanly  Oriental  whom  I  had  just  seen,  was  no  more  than  a 
mean,  petty,  pensioned  spy. 

I  think,  said  the  commander  of  the  Palmer,  that  the  Bal- 
inese  captain  was  about  right  in  his  advice.  I  never  met  with 
a  Malay  in  all  my  cruisings,  whether  cooley,  lasoar,  trader  or 
rajah,  who  was  not  a  treacherous  scamp ;  and  I  always  made 
short  talk  with  them,  and  made  them  toe  the  mark  pretty  straight, 
whenever  any  of  the  run-a-muck  scoundrels  came  about  me. 

Alas !  said  the  lady  of  the  younger  missionary,  is  not  that  tho 
echo  of  that  harsh  expression  of  mistrust  uttered  everywhere  by 
white  civilization  against  its  colored  inferior  ?  The  Indian  of 
our  frontier,  the  Hindoo  of  the  Ganges,  the  black  man  of  Africa, 
and  the  children  of  these  isles  are  all  esteemed  inbornly  evil 
alike ;  and  ungrateful,  for  the  good  they  receive ! — at  the  hands 
of  their  stronger  and  wiser  white  brethren. 


SEVENTEENTH  DAY. 

ON  the  second  day,  the  progress  of  the  barque  and  schooner 
was  slow  and  labored  as  on  the  day  before.  After  a  toilsome 
pull  with  boats  and  sweeps  for  about  twenty  miles  up  a  stream, 
averaging  thus  far  six  fathoms  in  depth,  and  700  yards  in  width, 
we  came  to  anchor  near  the  entrance  into  the  Oopang, — a  broad, 
deep  channel,  diverging  from  the  Soonsang,  and  running  south 
westerly  into  the  straits  of  Banca. 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  day,  we  began  early  our  toil 
with  boats  and  sweeps.  After  passing  the  Oopang,  I  learned 
from  Bahdoo,  that  the  name  of  Soonsang  ceased,  and  the  main 
stream  received  the  name  of  Moosee,  or  Ayer  Moosee, — so  called 
from  the  Ulu  Moosee, — a  wild  hill  country,  near  Bencoolen  on 
the  west  coast,  in  which  it  takes  its  rise.  The  current  now  be 
came  stronger :  the  oarsmen  pulling  at  the  head  of  the  barque, 
gave  up  with  exhausted  arms,  and  my  small  force,  barely  enough 
to  man  two  sweeps,  could  urge  no  longer  the  sharp-prowed  clip 
per  onward ; — and  so  ere  noon,  the  barque  and  schooner  let  go 
their  anchors  in  the  stream. 

Here  I  resolved  to  take  a  peep  at  the  jungle,  that  had  so  wooed 
my  curious  gaze  j  and  started  on  a  cruise  with  my  long-boat, — • 
taking  with  me,  Bahdoo,  a  sailor,  the  carbine,  our  only  fire-arm, 
a  hatchet,  a  pike,  some  boiled  rice,  and  a  small  keg  of  water. 


PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

To  avoid  the  hot  rays  pouring  down  upon  the  water  at  noon,  we 
ran  under  the  thick  overhanging  shade  that  lined  the  banks,  and 
roused  up  the  caymans,  or  buaya,  as  Bahdoo  called  them,  which 
he  seemed  to  dread  very  much ;  and  gave  me  to  understand,  that 
they  have  oftentimes  seized  people  and  dragged  them  out  of  their 
tambangans,  a  story  which  I  heard  vouched  for  afterwards  by 
Europeans.  The  monkeys  sprang  from  limb  to  limb, — some  with 
young  ones  in  their  arms,  and  stopping  at  times  to  give  us  a 
stare  and  chatter ;  whilst  birds  of  great  beauty  were  roused,  and 
rose  up  with  varied  cry,  from  the  thick  brake  and  heavy-leafed 
forest. 

Some  five  miles  from  where  we  had  started,  we  came  to 
another  large  divergent  branch  on  the  right  bank,  like  the 
Oopang  on  the  left ;  and  this  would  lead  us,  said  Bahdoo,  to  the 
Banyoo-Assin,  or  Sour-River,  a  great  stream  like  the  Moosee,  by 
which  large  ships  could  ascend  to  Palembang.  The  splendor  of 
the  leafy  and  flowery  border  of  this  branch,  which  seemed  about 
400  yards  wide,  and  the  gentleness  of  its  current,  tempted  me  to 
a  sail  upon  its  waters. 

On  the  left  bank  of  the  stream,  a  short  way  from  the  en 
trance,  I  espied  what  seemed  the  dark  entrance  of  a  cavern ;  and 
on  coining  nearer,  I  found  it  was  the  mouth  of  a  small  creek 
about  forty  feet  wide,  over  which  the  limbs  of  lofty  trees  were 
closely  interlapped ;  forming  a  thick  tunnel  roof  above  the  un 
sunned  waters  of  the  creek,  that  issued  forth,  cool  as  from  out 
of  some  Alpine  cave. 

I  was  wishful  to  explore  this  tree-roofed  stream,  but  Bahdoo 
implored  me  not  to  go ;  he  spoke  of  binatang, — wild  creatures 
on  the  ground,  in  the  trees,  and  in  the  air ; — he  made  wild  cries 
like  beasts ;  and  then  his  face  changing  to  a  deeper  fear-stricken 
look,  he  spoke  of  orany  uian,  fierce  and  hairy  wild  men,  who  lived 


THE    CANOPIED    CREEK.  113 

in  the  thick  tree-tops,  overhanging  this  creek,  and  would  drop 
into  our  boat,  or  pelt  us  with  cocoanuts  from  overhead.  Whilst 
Bahdoo  was  on  the  point  of  crouching  down  in  his  usual  way  of 
entreaty,  the  sailor,  who  was  as  curious  as  myself,  and  seeing 
my  wish  to  go  on,  seized  both  oars,  and  with  a  vigorous  pull  shot 
the  boat  within  the  leafy  tunnel. 

Farther  up  this  curious  vaulted  aisle,  the  air  was  chill, — an 
awful  silence  reigned,  and  things  around  were  dimly  seen, 
although  the  hour  was  but  little  past  noon-time.  As  we  went 
on,  we  came  to  where  the  arch  widened,  the  green  roof  rose  up, 
and  the  air  came  warmer,  and  a  few  rays  shot  down  from  above ; 
— then  further  on  again  the  arch  narrowed,  and  the  roof  lowered, 
— so  low  in  one  place  did  the  matted  limbs  come  down,  that  we 
were  forced  to  stoop  our  heads,  and  pull  the  boat  along  by  the 
branches  that  brushed  her  gunwale. 

After  pulling  about  fifty  yards,  the  woody  vault  of  the  cavern 
enlarged  again ;  and  we  saw  before  us,  a  smooth  glassy  avenue, 
lined  with  a  close  array  of  massive  columns,  whose  tops  were  lost 
to  view  within  the  enshrouding  canopy  of  green ;  the  end  of  the 
vista  was  lost  in  gloom,  till,  as  we  sped  along,  light  began  to 
dawn,  and  a  little  further  on,  it  came  pouring  in  from  a  break  in 
the  cavern  wall. 

We  had  come  to  an  opening  in  the  bank,  leading  into  an  open 
plain  of  marshy  grouud,  thickly  strewn  with  bodies  of  mighty 
trees,  thrown  down  by  the  fierce  simoon  a  long  time  ago ;  for  they 
lay  covered  with  a  coating  of  soily  loam,  and  thickly  matted, 
creeping  vegetation ;  so  that  the  sod-enwrapped  corses  of  these 
old  giants  of  the  forest,  seemed  like  a  net-work  of  raised  path 
ways,  on  which  to  thread  a  way  through  the  yellow  ooze  of  a 
deadly  looking  swamp. 

Wishing  to  take  a  nearer  view  of  some  gorgeous  flowering 


114  PRISON    OF   WELTEVREDEN. 

trees,  that  skirted  the  farthest  side  of  this  open  ground,  I  stepped 
out  to  try  my  feet  upon  the  raised  green  paths,  and  ordered 
Bahdoo  to  follow;  but  again  the  Malay  uttered  cries  of  entreaty, 
pointing  to  the  swamp  and  then  to  his  legs,  making  hideous  gri 
maces  of  disgust  and  pain :  but  as  his  clamorous  fear  on  entering 
the  creek  seemed  thus  far  to  have  no  foundation,  I  thought  his 
alarm  was  feigned — some  trick  of  laziness — and  so  paid  no  heed 
for  myself,  yet  let  him  stay  with  the  boat, — and  took  the  sailor 
with  me. 

The  pathways  rose  and  sloped,  and  were  barred  with  crossing 
paths  in  all  directions,  making  most  tedious  and  unsteady  walk 
ing  ;  so  that  we  found  great  need  of  the  pike  and  boat-hook  we 
had  taken  in  our  hands.  As  we  went  on,  we  felt  a  stinging  sen 
sation  about  the  legs,  but  our  uneasily  balanced  foothold  pre 
vented  us  from  stooping  to  find  out  and  remove  the  cause  of  the 
annoyance.  We  saw  around  us,  snipe  in  great  abundance,  a 
species  of  blue  stork,  and  other  birds. 

There  was  a  portion  of  raised  ground  near  the  centre  of  the 
swamp,  which  was  a  mound  of  the  sod-covered  logs.  Down  we 
thrust  our  pike  and  boat-hook  to  their  utmost  length  into  some 
open  spaces,  and  still  there  seemed  more  crevice  way  down  through 
this  piled  up  raft  of  huge  timbers.  I  further  saw,  as  I  removed 
the  soddy  coating,  that  the  wood  seemed  of  a  brittle,  stony  con 
sistence,  and  I  was  eager  to  make  more  thorough  research  ;  when 
I  was  aroused  by  a  cry  from  the  sailor,  who  pointed  to  blood 
that  stained  his  stocking — I  was  at  the  same  time  recalled  to 
a  sense  of  pain  about  the  ankles;  and  I  then  thought  of  the 
pantomime  and  reluctance  to  come  of  Bahdoo. 

The  stinging  sensation  increased,  and  as  I  continued  to  strike 
and  rub  my  pantaloons,  I  saw  blood  staining  my  own  stockings. 
We  boat  a  retreat  for  the  boat  in  order  to  find  out  and  remove 


GUARDIANS  OF  THE  SUMATRAN  JUNGLE.          115 

this  hidden  enemy.  The  pain  increased,  the  blood  came  faster ; 
the  sailor  stamped  and  cursed,  as  he  stumbled  unsteadily  along ; 
and  as  we  both  approached  the  boat,  walking  as  though  on  hot 
plates,  and  striking  our  legs  with  our  hands,  I  could  see  a  broad, 
chuckling  grin  on  the  face  of  the  Malay. 

Achih, — achih, — said  Bahdoo,  as  he  stooped  down  to  roll  up 
my  pantaloons,  and  held  up  to  me  a  small  red  leech,  about  two 
thirds  of  an  inch  long,  which  he  had  taken  from  my  bleeding 
limbs.  When  we  had  got  rid  of  the  enemy,  and  washed  our 
selves,  my  op  pas  showed  me  that  this  little  leech  could  jump; 
and  thus  got  upon  pedestrians  like  the  troublesome,  flesh-burrow 
ing  seed-ticks,  I  often  suffered  from  in  the  forests  of  South  Caro 
lina  ;  but  tenfold  more  hurtful  and  bloodthirsty. 

Bahdoo  now  hoped  that  I  was  content  to  return;  but  I 
wanted  to  see  how  much  farther  on  this  canopied  creek  extended ; 
and  so,  after  a  lunch  in  the  boat,  we  plied  the  oar  along  the 
deep  shaded  waters,  till  again  the  light  broke  in  and  we  came  to 
another  open  space,  which  was  high  and  dry,  and  covered  with 
clumps  of  very  lofty,  and  some  beautiful,  long-leafed  flowering 
trees.  One  tree  with  a  large,  thick  varnished  leaf  arrested  my 
attention,  and  Bahdoo  said,  pooli'n  gatah  percha  ;  and  of  this  I 
broke  off  a  small  branch. 

My  breaking  of  the  twig  seemed  to  rouse  again  some  hostile 
genii  of  these  woods,  for  a  moment  after  doing  so  I  heard  cries 
from  Bahdoo  and  curses  from  my  sailor,  who  had  followed 
me  into  this  inviting  grove  of  beauty ;  and  then  I  saw  them  with 
one  hand  buffeting  the  air,  and  with  the  other  rubbing  their  faces, 
whilst  a  swarm  of  large  black  insects  buzzed  around,  and  darted 
violently  at  them, — and  then  some  of  the  vicious  creatures  flew 
at  me  and  I  felt  most  keenly  stung.  The  sailor  and  Malay 
waved  and  fought  with  their  hands ; — they  ran,  and  oft'  went  the 


116  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

Bwarra,  leaving  me,  who  bad  stood  still,  without  moving  a  hand, — 
for  I  had  had  some  experience  with  mad  bee  swarms  in  our 
western  forests. 

Bahdoo  plunged  into  the  creek,  and  the  sailor  followed ;  and 
when  I  reached  the  boat,  they  had  set  up  such  a  splashing  as  to 
disperse  the  winged  enemy.  I  felt  the  stings  I  had  received,  two 
on  the  hands  and  one  in  the  face,  most  keenly — more  acute  than 
those  of  bees.  I  resorted  to  the  simple  remedy  of  pressing  the 
end  of  a  key  barrel  over  the  pustule  raised  by  the  sting,  and  soon 
obtained  relief;  and  the  Malay  and  sailor  seemed  to  get  relief 
from  the  mud  with  which  they  had  besmeared  themselves. 

In  half  an  hour,  we  were  all  right  again ; — but  now,  my 
sturdy  Jack  as  well  as  Bahdoo,  began  to  think  we  had  better 
bout  ship :  still  I  was  loth  to  leave  this  caverned  creek,  and  wanted 
to  see  the  end  of  it,  for  the  sun  was  yet  high ;  and  I  agreed  after 
another  half  hour's  pull,  taking  an  oar  myself,  to  turn  back. 

For  a  time,  nothing  but  the  sounds  of  the  oars,  the  dip  and 
splash,  and  ruttle  on  the  rowlocks,  broke  upon  the  still  cool  air 
within  the  wood-caverned  water-way.  By  and  by  Bahdoo,  who 
was  steering,  stooped  his  head,  and  held  the  back  of  his  hand  to 
his  ear :  the  oars  were  held  in  rest,  and  then  we  heard  a  crackle 
in  the  leafy  mass  above,  and  a  little  ahead  of  us; — a  few 
strokes  more,  and  another  rest;  and  then  a  loud  rustle  and  shake 
of  limbs  broke  upon  us,  right  overhead,  and  Bahdoo  cried  wildly, 
moonyet  besar, — orang  utan, — orang  utan, — a  great  monkey  !  a 
wild  man  !  a  wild  man  ! 

I  heard  gruff  animal  sounds  mingled  with  rustles,  jumps  and 
shakes  amid  the  tree-top  limbs;  but  as  yet  had  seen  nothing  of 
what  caused  them.  I  sprang  out  of  the  boat,  and  Bahdoo,  with 
out  bidding,  quickly  followed, — the  sailor  after  him,  with  the  car 
bine  in  his  hand  :  the  heavy  leaps  and  shakes  continued,  and  after 


THE    ORANG    KUBD.  117 

some  time  gazing  upward,  I  got  a  glimpse  amid  a  thick  bower  of 
foliage,  at  a  height  of  about  eighty  feet,  of  a  dark  brown  form 
seeming  to  me  as  large  as  a  human  being ;  and  when  Bahdoo  saw 
it,  he  cried  out,  Orang  Kubu  !  Orang  Kubu ! 

I  raised  a  shout,  and  we  all  cried  out  at  the  top  of  our  voices. 
I  struck  at  some  low  drooping  limbs  with  the  pike  in  my 
hand ;  and  then  we  heard  rustles  and  leaping  sounds  at  other 
points  in  the  great  treetops  near  the  form  we  had  seen ; — this 
one  shifted,  slid  down  a  limb,  came  nearer  to  view,  and  then  we 
could  partly  see  a  very  human-like  form,  holding  a  little  creature 
with  a  very  human-like  face,  peering  down  upon  us. 

The  sailor  had  raised  the  carbine,  and  was  about  to  fire,  when 
I  bid  him  stop ;  it  seemed  like  murder  to  shoot  at  that  human 
face,  for  I  had  heard  something  of  wild  and  hairy  races,  roaming 
in  the  forests  not  far  from  the  waters  of  Palembang.  I  again 
raised  a  shout, — Bahdoo  made  a  peculiar  piercing  cry,  and  again 
the  creature  moved ;  it  leaped,  others  leaped,  and  the  huge  tree 
shook.  Downward  came  the  sounds,  leaping,  rustling,  crashing, 
then  dark  bodies  shot  before  us,  down,  plunge  into  the  creek. 

We  had  stood  with  weapons  grasped,  expecting  an  attack ; 
but  after  hearing  a  quick  flounder  and  splash  in  the  water,  up 
sprang  five  or  six  large  creatures,  for  a  moment  but  dimly  seen, 
then  up  the  bank  and  away  into  the  thick  forest  on  the  other 
side. 

Three  fourths  of  the  day  was  now  gone,  and  I  had  seen 
enough  for  one  day's  excursion.  The  boat  was  put  about,  and 
rowed  quickly  down  the  canopied  stream, — pulled  with  hands 
again  through  the  narrow  neck,  where  the  leafy  top  brushed  our 
backs.  Our  fatigue  felt  lightened,  when  we  shot  out  of  the 
leafy  cavern  into  the  warm  daylight  on  the  main  stream  we 
had  left ;  and  our  increasing  fatigue  was  all  forgotten  when, 


118 


miSON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 


upon  turning  the  bend  of  the  stream  into  the  Moosee,  we  be 
held  the  graceful,  golden  tipped  spars  of  the  Flirt  walking  up 
among  the  towering  tree-tops. 

A  light  breeze  had  risen,  filling  the  clipper's  main  and  fore- 
top  sail,  with  which  she  walked  away  from  the  lumbering  barque, 
that  crept  slowly  behind,  with  all  sails  set.  It  was  sweet  after 
the  day's  fatigue  and  adventure,  to  sit  upon  my  quarter-deck,  and 
feel  the  cool  wafts  of  air,  that  blew  perfume  from  the  woods,  and 
played  with  the  folds  of  the  flag  of  America,  which  I  felt  proud 
to  think  I  was  the  first  to  bear  up  this  noble  Sumatran  stream. 

When  we  had  come  to  anchor,  while  I  sat  eating  my  curry, 
real,  mild,  savory  East  Indian  curry,  prepared  by  Balidoo ;  and 
while  sipping  the  fragrant  tea  of  my  friend  Lim  Boo  Seng,  the 
costliest  leaf,  brought  from  the  centre  of  China,  and  gathered,  as 
he  said,  by  monkeys  on  certain  inaccessible  rocky  ledges  on 
mountain  sides,  and  while  proving  the  merits  of  the  mangoes 
brought  by  the  Demang, — a  visitor  was  announced,  and  the  young 
surgeon  from  the  Bali  barque  entered  my  cabin. 

He  was  curious  to  know  what  I  had  seen  and  met  with,  and 
expressed  a  regret,  that  I  had  not  signified  a  desire  to  have  com 
pany  in  my  excursion.  And  then  I  spoke  of  the  diverging  river 
branch,  the  covered  creek,  the  brittle  stony  woods,  the  gutta 
percha  limb,  the  leeches,  the  insects,  and  the  orang  utan. 

I  had  entered,  said  my  visitor,  the  Djarang,  a  strait  or  chan 
nel,  connecting  the  Moosee  with  the  Rantoo  Stenno,  a  branch  of 
the  Palembang  waters,  which  joins  the  Soonsang  not  far  from 
the  Campong  Soonsang.  There  are  several  of  these  channels, 
diverging  from  the  main  branch  of  the  Moosee;  the  Padang, 
Kamoodec,  Kombang,  Oopang,  Djarang,  Troosang,  Punchian, 
Chctar  and  Rantoo  Stenno,  forming  numerous  deltas,  which  are 
much  subject  to  inundation  during  the  north-western  monsoon; 


COAL    AND    GUTTA    PERCIIA.  119 

and  that  was  why  nearly  all  the  cabins  we  had  seen  were  deserted 
at  that  time  ;  but,  said  he,  they  will  be  peopled  again  on  the  re 
turn  of  the  south-eastern  monsoon,  and  a  rice  crop  will  be  planted 
and  gathered,  before  the  season  of  freshets  has  returned. 

In  other  parts  of  Sumatra,  said  the  intelligent  officer,  where 
vegetation  is  even  more  exuberant  than  you  behold  it  here,  and 
forest  trees  are  grander  and  loftier,  you  will  meet  with  many  de- 
liciously  embowered  lakelets,  and  canopied  creeks  like  the  one 
you  ascended;  and  in  the  interior  there  are  large  tracts  of 
country,  thickly  strewn  with  huge  timbers  of  ancient  date,  some 
half,  and  some  wholly  carbonized,  according  to  the  heat  and 
pressure  of  superincumbent  soil,  to  which  they  have  been  sub 
jected. 

He  had  often  suffered  from  the  little  swamp  leech,  called 
achih,  which  deterred  me  from  further  miueralogical  researches. 
Europeans  wore  nether  garments  that  could  be  drawn  tight 
around  the  ankles,  whenever  obliged  to  traverse  swampy  tracts  of 
country  in  Sumatra,  and  in  Borneo.  The  natives  pass  marshes 
with  bare  legs,  so  that  they  can  quickly  remove  the  leeches,  as 
they  leap  upon  them ;  which  they  can  the  more  readily  do,  as 
they  look  straight  forward  and  downward  as  they  go  along, 
and  not  staring  right  and  left,  and  round  about  them,  like  Euro 
peans. 

He  said  that  the  gutta  percha  tree  was  found  in  great  abun 
dance  on  the  western  coast,  especially  in  the  territory  of  Ben- 
coolen,  where  tracts  of  ten  and  twelve  miles  square  were  almost 
entirely  covered  with  this  valuable  gum  tree.  The  native  name, 
gatah  percha,  signifies  band  or  ribbon  gum ;  probably  because  it 
is  commonly  formed  into  strips  for  various  purposes ;  but  one  of 
the  native  names  of  this  island  being  Percha,  it  may  have  been 
the  design  to  call  it  the  gum  of  Sumatra.  Traders,  who  care 


120  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

little  about  names,  have  changed  the  gatah  to  gutta;  as  they 
have  cayu  putee  to  cajcput,  and  orang  utan  to  orang  utang,  which 
latter  signifies  a  debtor,  instead  of  a  wild  man,  to  the  ears  of  a 
Malay.  And  then  he  commented  upon  the  human-like  creatures 
that  I  had  seen.  He  had  heard  much  about  a  wild  race  of  hu 
man  shaped  beings,  covered  with  hair,  called  orang  kubu,  or 
brown  men,  who  were  to  be  found  in  the  country  north  of  Pa- 
lernbang,  between  it  and  the  territory  of  Jambee, — living  on  the 
streams  that  flow  into  the  Banyoo  Assin  ;  but  he  had  never  heard 
of  them  upon  the  Moosee,  or  any  of  its  own  branches;  yet  it 
need  not  be  surprising  that  the  Kubus  should  be  found  upon  the 
Moosee  and  its  branches,  as  there  was  a  direct  communication  by 
cross  channels,  between  it  and  the  Banyoo  Assin. 

A  great  many  extraordinary  and  improbable  stories  are  told 
about  the  Kubus  and  other  wild  aboriginal  races,  by  the  Malays, 
who  call  them  all  by  the  general  name  of  orang  utan.  Some 
account  of  them  was  given  by  a  lieutenant  in  the  army  of  Ne- 
therland  India,  who  spent  many  years  in  Sumatra. 

This  lieutenant  said  that  the  orang  kubu  are  to  be  found  in 
the  large  tracts  of  forest,  watered  by  the  Lakitan,  Batang  Lekoh, 
Rawas  Ulu,  and  Lalan,  tributaries  of  the  Moosee  and  the  Ban 
yoo  Assin,  and  forming  boundaries  between  the  territory  of  Pal- 
embang  and  the  Sultanate  of  Jambee.  He  spoke  of  them  as  a 
race  of  beings,  living  in  a  state  of  nature,  as  simple  as  wild 
beasts.  They  were  much  stronger  built  than  the  civilized  men 
of  the  island;  symmetrically  formed,  of  powerful  frame,  and  ca 
pable  of  enduring  any  hardships  incident  to  their  brutish  life. 

Some  of  these  creatures,  he  said,  wore  a  small  strip  of  bark 
about  the  loins,  and  both  sexes  daub  themselves  with  mud  and 
gum  from  trees,  to  avoid  the  bite  of  insects ;  but  they  seem  to 
have  no  idea  of  the  use  of  garments  for  a  covering.  The  men 


THE    ORANG    KUBU.  121 

have  long,  shaggy  beards  (an  appendage  almost  denied  to  the 
civilized  Sumatraus),  and  the  bodies  of  males  and  females  are 
covered  with  long,  flowing  hair. 

Their  food  consists  of  wild  berries  and  fruits,  and  of  fish,  and 
several  species  of  reptiles  which  they  eat  raw.  They  do  not  cul 
tivate  the  earth  in  any  manner  whatever.  When  traversing  the 
forests,  they  are  accompanied  by  a  species  of  large,  wild  dog, 
who  keep  watch  against  the  attack  of  tigers  and  bears,  and  also 
serve  as  sentinels,  to  prevent  the  surprise  of  their  masters  by 
the  Malays,  who  hunt  them  for  slaves.  He  said  that  the  saga 
city  and  fidelity  of  these  dogs,  almost  indicate  the  possession  of 
greater  reasoning  faculties  than  shown  by  the  Kubus. 

These  creatures  make  rude  shelters  of  tree  bark,  while  many 
lodged  in  the  tops  and  hollows  of  trees.  Their  only  weapon 
and  tool  is  a  pointed  bamboo,  of  which  even  the  orang  utan 
avail  themselves.  The  bow  and  arrows,  and  surnpits,  or  bamboo 
tubes  for  blowing  out  small  darts,  in  use  among  the  Dyaks,  the 
Alfuras,  and  other  wild  tribes  of  the  East  Indian  Archipelago, 
are  unknown  to  these  hairy  men  of  Sumatra. 

They  have  sometimes  been  known  to  approach  the  abodes  of 
civilized  people,  when  pressed  with  hunger,  or  as,  in  some  cases, 
when  pursued  by  wild  beasts.  The  lieutenant  gives  an  instance 
of  a  Kubu  female,  who  was  induced  to  live  with  a  Malay.  At 
first  she  rejected  cooked  meat;  and  when  she  began  to  partake 
of  it,  she  seemed  to  suffer  much  pain  in  her  stomach.  For  some 
time,  she  could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  wash  her  body  with 
water,  instead  of  smearing  it  with  liquid  guin  from  trees. 

The  greatest  number  of  these  beings  are  to  be  found  in  tho 

country  of  the  Batang  Lekoh;  and  these  appear  to  have  some 

slight  traits  of  civilization,  some  of  them  being  engaged  in  gathr 

cring  benzoin  or  frankincense;  and  in  fact   are   the  chief  col- 

G 


122  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

lectors  of  that  article  of  commerce,  which  they  exchange  for 
some  trinkets  and  pieces  of  colored  cloth.  They  are  extremely 
cautious  of  approaching  the  Malays,  for  the  purpose  of  trading, 
for  fear  of  being  caught  and  retained  as  slaves,  which  very  often 
happens ;  and  it,  said  he,  is  doubtless  the  treachery  of  the  civil 
ized  man  which  keeps  those  poor  wild  creatures  more  isolated 
than  they  otherwise  would  be. 

This  mistrust  of  civilized  man,  has  led  to  a  very  curious  cus 
tom  of  trading,  somewhat  resembling  that  described  by  Herodo 
tus,  between  the  Carthaginians  and  certain  wild  tribes  in  Africa ; 
but  more  singular  still,  in  the  case  of  the  Kubus,  as  described  by 
the  Dutch  lieutenant,  and  afterwards  to  me  by  many  Arab  and 
Chinese  traders  I  have  met  with.  The  Kubus  deposit  the  gum 
they  collect,  and  other  articles  to  exchange,  in  a  certain  place, 
when  traders  are  in  the  neighborhood ;  then  they  strike  with  a 
club  upon  a  suspended  hollow  log,  called  taboh  by  the  Malays, 
making  a  loud,  drum-sound — and  run  off  back  into  the  recesses 
of  the  forest.  The  traders  come  to  the  spot,  take  away  the  gum, 
and  leave  what  they  think  proper.  After  they  have  gone  the 
Kubus  cautiously  venture  out  of  the  thicket,  and  carry  off  what 
has  been  left  for  them.  Sometimes  this  mode  of  barter  is  re 
versed — the  traders  depositing  trinkets  and  cloths — then  beat  a 
gong,  and  retire ;  whilst  the  wild  men  come  and  take  away  what 
has  been  offered,  and  honestly  and  generously  leave  all  that 
they  have  got  of  gum  or  other  articles.  Thus,  the  chief  material 
for  the  purifying  incense  used  in  the  ceremonial  of  the  church 
of  Rome  is  gathered  by  these  rude  hands. 

Marsden,  who  resided  many  years  on  the  western  coast  of 
Sumatra,  in  his  account  of  the  aborigines  of  the  island,  says  that 
lie  had  heard  of  two  species  of  people,  dispersed  in  the  woods, 
and  avoiding  all  communication  with  the  other  inhabitants: 


THE  ORANG  KUBU,  AND  ORANG  GUGUR.          123 

these  were  the  orang  Kubu,  and  the  orang  Gugur :  the  former 
being,  as  he  understood,  very  numerous  on  the  south-east  coast 
between  the  Palembang  and  Jambee  territories.  He  speaks  of 
having  heard  of  several  that  had  been  caught  and  put  to  work  as 
slaves ;  and  of  a  young  Kubu  female  that  was  captured  by  a 
man  in  the  Laboon  country.  He  says  that  the  Gugurs  are  much 
scarcer  than  the  Kubus,  differing  in  little,  but  the  use  of  some 
uncouth  kind  of  speech,  from  the  orang  utan  of  Borneo, — £hey 
being  entirely  covered  with  hair.  But  Marsden  is  rather  skep 
tical  about  the  existence  of  these  beings  of  doubtful  humanity. 

You  will  have  an  opportunity  when  at  Palembang,  said  the 
Dutch  officer,  to  learn  something  more  definite  about  these  crea 
tures  ;  and  may  probably  see  some  of  them  in  the  possession  of 
the  old  pensioned  Sultan,  who  resides  there.  I  did  learn  much 
more  about  these  wild  people  at  Palembang  and  at  Batavia, 
which  I  shall  relate  in  the  course  of  my  narrative. 


EIGHTEENTH  DAY. 

ON  the  fourth  day  after  entering  the  Soonsang,  the  barque 
and  schooner  were  still  toiling  up  stream  towards  Palenibang. 
In  the  morning  they  passed  the  island  of  Kumbaroo  on  the 
right,  and  the  Pladjoo  lliver  on  the  left.  On  the  banks  of  this 
river's  mouth,  and  on  the  island,  are  some  vestiges  of  fortifica 
tions  ; — the  scene  of  a  severe  engagement  between  a  Dutch  na 
val  force,  of  five  ships  of  war,  and  some  troops  of  the  late  Sul 
tan  of  Palembang. 

The  channel  of  the  Moosee  increased  in  depth,  as  the 
branches  outflowing  from  the  main  stream  were  passed;  and 
above  the  Pladjoo,  it  had  deepened  to  ten  fathoms  in  mid-chan 
nel,  with  a  width  of  stream  of  about  five  hundred  yards.  A 
few  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Pladjoo,  the  floating  town  burst 
upon  the  view;  and  the  commander  of  the  Flirt  thus  described, 
on  board  the  Palmer,  his 

ARRIVAL     AT     PALEMBANG. 

We  began  to  see  tambangans  of  many  shapes  and  sizes,  dart 
ing  past,  or  shooting  athwart  our  bows ;  some  very  plain — the 
rough,  scooped  log  alone,  half-filled  by  some  lonely  fisher,  and  he 
half  covered  by  his  broad,  bowl-shaped  tudong  hat ;  others  richer 
with  varnish  gloss  outside,  and  carpet  within,  where  turbancd 


DUTCH  AUTHORITIES  OF  PALEMBANG.  125 

men  were  seated ;  and  little  boys  in  tasteful  dress,  with  amber 
skins,  and  sparkling  eyes,  paddled  these  gay  skiffs  along. 

Large,  laden  prahus  passed  by,  in  which  long  ranks  of  row 
ers,  shaded  by  the  broad  banana  leaf,  sang  as  they  rowed  along : 
one  tuneful  voice  breaking  on  the  ear  awhile,  with  shrill  and 
pleasing  strain  ;  and  then  a  chorus  rang  out  from  those  long 
ranks,  keeping  time  with  the  dipping  dayong  blades ;  and  thus, 
amid  song  and  forest  splendor  on  either  side,  with  thronging 
oriental  scenes  upon  the  water,  did  we  approach  the  Venice  of 
Sumatra. 

A  breeze  sprang  up,  and  the  graceful  clipper,  with  her  stars 
floating  at  the  gaff,  glided  proudly  up  the  thronged  water  broad- 
way,  amid  the  junks  of  China.,  the  prahus  of  the  Archipelago, 
and  the  heavy  craft  of  Holland ;  and  before  thousands  of  curi 
ous  gazers,  looking  out  from  houses  resting  on  rafts,  that  rose 
and  fell  with  the  sink  or  swell  of  the  tidal  stream,  which  they 
lined  on  either  side. 

After  letting  go  my  anchor  in  ten  fathoms  water,  in  the  midst 
of  junks  and  prahus,  at  the  lower  end  of  the  town,  I  went  ashore 
to  call  upon  the  Dutch  authorities  in  the  fort,  about  two  miles 
higher  up.  The  Havermeester,  or  Shahbandar,  as  more  commonly 
called  at  Palembang,  was  a  middle-aged  Creole,  with  a  mild  and 
kindly  look  of  face,  the  son  of  an  English  trader  of  Padaug  and  a 
Malay  mother ;  and  he  seemed  heartily  glad  to  welcome  one  who 
spoke  his  father's  tongue. 

The  Shahbandar  introduced  me  to  the  Dutch  lieutenant  com 
manding  the  Pylades,  a  small  gun  brig,  then  lying  at  Palem 
bang.  He  was  a  man  past  the  prime  of  life,  with  coarse 
features  marked  with  strong  drink.  After  some  conversation 
about  my  voyage,  and  object  in  coming  to  the  East,  ho  led  me 
to  the  fort,  where  he  introduced  me  to  a  man  about  thirty-five 


126  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

years  of  age,  of  short  stature,  with  plain  unmilitary  features, 
mild  expression,  and  very  slovenly  dressed;  and  this  was 
Col.  de  Brauw,  the  Resident  and  Commander-in-chief,  in  the 
territory  of  Palembang. 

On  returning  to  my  vessel  on  the  following  day,  from  a  visit 
on  shore,  I  found  a  stranger  in  my  cabin ;  a  tall  and  venerable 
man,  of  most  noble  and  commanding  presence.  His  dark  fea 
tures  were  pure  Arab,  of  the  finest  type ;  and  were  crowned 
with  a  muslin  turban  of  snowy  whiteness ;  from  his  shoulders 
hung,  down  to  his  ankles,  a  green  silk  robe ;  within  this  he  wore  a 
yellow  silken  vest,  and  a  pure  white  skirt,  gracefully  tucked  and 
folded ;  and  rich  embroidered  sandals  on  his  feet,  made  up  the 
striking  costume  of  him,  who  advanced  to  take  my  hand,  and  who 
introduced  himself, — Seyd  Scherriff  Ali,  Panyorang  or  Prince 
of  the  Arabs  of  Palembang. 

He  had  stood  near,  amid  a  group  of  Arab  and  Chinese  mer 
chants,  when  I  talked  with  the  Shahbandar.  He  had  heard  that 
I  came  from  America,  a  mighty  country  to  him;  of  the  great 
ness  of  whose  people  he  had  heard  much ;  at  Muscat,  and  even 
here  in  Sumatra.  He  had  learned  from  my  words  with  the 
Shahbandar,  that  I  came  with  my  beautiful  vessel  for  no  purpose 
of  trade ;  but  to  see  the  beauty  and  wealth  of  the  island,  to  tell 
of  to  my  countrymen.  He  was  glad  to  see  such  a  man,  and  he 
had  come  to  invite  him  to  his  house,  to  talk  with  him.  And  all 
this  I  understood  with  the  help  of  my  list  of  Malay  words 
and  sentences  already  learned  from  Bahdoo — a  few  words  of 
English,  which  he  knew,  and  much  pantomime  between  us. 

I  stepped  into  his  ornamented  tambangan.  "We  sat  down  on 
a  rich  carpet  in  the  centre,  and  were  shaded  by  a  payong,  or 
huge  parasol.  Eight  pretty  little  boys  dressed  in  white  and 
green,  between  the  ages  of  six  and  ten,  plied  the  bright  paddle 


PANYORANG  SCHERR1FF  ALL  127 

blades, — one  half  forward  and  the  others  aft  of  us,  whilst  a 
stout  Malay  sat  on  the  tambangan's  stern-peak,  and  with  a  large, 
broad  dayong,  guided  it  along,  swiftly  down  the  stream ;  then 
gracefully  rounding  to,  and  shooting  across  an  eddying  current 
into  a  calm  canal,  brought  us  to  the  steps  of  the  house  of  the 
Arab  Panyorang. 

We  stepped  on  to  a  floor  beneath  a  long  verandah  roof.  A 
second  floor,  raised  a  step  higher,  lay  beyond  this,  and  here  my 
stately  companion  stopped,  and  pointing  to  a  graceful  silk-cov 
ered  lounge,  a  petarana,  invited  me  to  rest,  whilst  he  reposed 
upon  another.  A  small  table  richly  japanned  was  placed  be 
tween  us,  on  which  were  a  profusion  of  small,  varnished,  wooden 
plates,  filled  with  sweetmeats,  cakes  and  fruits  of  various  kinds. 

When  we  first  sat  down,  several  men  and  youths  had  assem 
bled  upon  the  verandah  floor,  and  gazed  at  me  with  curious 
looks.  After  a  few  minutes,  when  I  had  ceased  to  taste  of  the 
dainties  that  were  pressed  upon  me,  a  motion  from  the  hand  of 
the  Panyorang  dispersed  the  curious  throng,  all  save  one,  a  youth 
about  seventeen,  with  fine  features,  the  finest  type  of  the  comely 
race  of  Yahman ; — mild  and  mind-beaming  eyes,  which  he  fixed 
with  earnest  look  upon  me,  as  he  sat  on  a  mat,  and  leaned  on 
the  petarana,  near  the  feet  of  the  Panyorang.  "  My  grandson 
Abdallah  bin  Aboubaker  bin  Ali,"  said  the  old  man,  as  he  gazed 
on  the  youth  with  wistful  eyes. 

Our  discourse  in  Malay  was  a  labored  work  of  broken  sen 
tences  and  signs.  I  had  a  small  blank  book  cut  and  lettered,  in 
which  I  had  already  a  goodly  vocabulary  of  words  and  sen 
tences,  gathered  from  Bahdoo,  the  Balinese  captain,  and  every 
one  I  had  met  with,  who  knew  any  thing  of  Malay,  whom  I  had 
always  pressed  into  the  service  of  teaching  me.  And  now,  with 
vocabulary  and  pencil  in  hand,  I  talked  with  the  Panyorang,  as 


128  PRISON    OF    WELTEVIIEDEN. 

I  had  with  all  I  had  met  with  in  the  East ;  learning  more  as  I 
talked  on. 

The  Panyorang  spoke  of  Raffles,  the  Tuan  Besar  Ingres, — 
the  English  Great  man,  as  Sir  Stamford  Raffles,  the  famous 
British  Governor  in  the  Archipelago,  and  enlightened  founder 
of  Singapore,  is  called  and  remembered  by  the  Malays  of  Pa- 
lernbang.  He  said,  that  the  people  did  not  believe  that  the 
great  good  man  was  dead,  and  looked  for  his  coming  again. 

The  Panyorang  had  taken  part  in  the  wars  of  Badroodin, 
the  late  Sultan  of  Palembang.  He  had  gone  to  meet  the  Eng 
lish  General  Gillespie,  near  Pulo  Burong,  to  capitulate  for  the 
surrender  of  this  town,  when  the  Sultan  had  fled  into  the  inte 
rior.  After  that  time  the  English  had  unwisely  given  up  all 
that  the  Tuan  Raffles  had  gained,  to  the  Dutch  Company,  who 
grasped  at  all  things  for  Holland,  and  wanted  to  make  slaves  of 
Arabs,  Malays,  and  Chinamen,  all  alike.  The  Panyorang  said, 
The  Portuguese  are  gone ;  the  Spaniards  are  very  weak ;  the  Eng 
lish  have  abandoned  the  Archipelago  by  treaty ;  and  there  is  no 
power  to  stay  the  all-devouring  Dutch,  unless  it  comes  from 
America.  Was  it  coming  ?  Had  I  come  to  see,  when  and 
where  Americans  should  come  ? — he  was  anxious  to  hear. 

I  said,  my  ship  is  very  small ;  many  prahus  and  junks  upon 
this  river  are  larger.  I  have  no  arms.  I  have  no  merchandise, 
no  gifts,  nor  any  thing  to  give  me  power.  I  have  but  a  feeble 
handful  of  poor  sailors,  and  poor  myself;  then  why  should  the 
Panyorang  suppose  that  I  was  sent  by  a  great  power  to  prepare 
a  way  for  conquest,  or  commerce  ? 

The  Dutchmen  near  the  lenteng  (the  fort)  had  said,  that  the 
American  was  a  spying  bird;  he  had  come  with  small  show  of 
means,  that  none  might  suspect ;  his  vessel  was  a  war-built  ship, 
and  she  might  have  a  consort  lurking  near,  or  at  Singapore,  that 


DUTCH    IGNORANCE    AND   JEALOUSY.  129 

could  quickly  fill  her  empty  hold  with  men,  and  those  gaping 
ports  with  guns;  and  he,  the  Panyorang,  must  say,  that  he 
should  wonder  to  see  a  gentleman  (tuan  betul)  come  into  these 
dangerous  and  troubled  countries,  with  an  empty  and  unarmed 
vessel,  unless  for  some  affairs  of  his  Government,  and  with  its 
strong  protection  near  by  him. 

An  ill-founded  suspicion  as  to  the  object  of  my  visit  to  the 
East,  arising  from  ignorance  and  jealousy,  had  met  me  at  the 
threshold  of  Netherland  India.  An  absurd  importance  at 
tached  to  my  untrader-like  appearance  and  movements  by  Dutch 
authorities,  had  already  prompted  overtures  of  desertion  and 
rebellion  on  the  part  of  disaffected  soldiers  and  vassals;  and 
this  jealousy,  ignorance,  and  suspicion,  was  soon  to  involve  me 
in  a  most  extravagant  charge  of  crime,  and  the  Government  of 
the  Netherlands  in  a  vexatious  and  expensive  prosecution. 

I  asked  the  Panyorang,  had  he  not  heard  of  curious  and  ad 
venturous  Arabs,  who  had  in  olden  times  come  to  Pulo  Percha, 
to  Java,  and  other  lands  in  these  seas ;  who  had  come  without 
power,  trusting  alone  in  God;  and  without  armies  or  ships  of 
war,  had  grown  great  and  rich  in  these  Heaven-blessed  lands. 
Then  why  should  he  be  surprised  at  my  coming  ? 

The  Panyorang  said  I  spoke  truly.  The  children  of  the  pro 
phet  had  indeed  come  without  power  ;  without  the  power  of  war ; 
but  with  the  power  of  Allah,  and  they  had  conquered  the  land. 
Every  chieftain  of  Sumatra  has  some  of  the  blood  of  the  true 
sons  of  Islam  in  his  veins.  And  the  children  of  Yahman  and 
their  children's  children,  are  many  in  the  land  of  Pulo  Percha ; 
— fifteen  thousand  in  all ;  of  these,  two  thousand  at  Palembang, 
over  whom  your  slave  is  chief;  said  the  Panyorang,  bowing. 

My  brethren,  and  myself,  said  he,  have  some  substance :  we 
have  chiefly  merchandise  and  ships ;  there  are  eleven  square-rigged 
6* 


130  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

ones,  belonging  to  the  Arabs  of  this  town.  My  own,  the  Djelanie, 
carries  three  hundred  koyangs  (about  900  tons),  and  the  Maimoop, 
Lachmady,  Faid  Alim,  and  others  belonging  to  my  brethren,  are 
fine  ships.  The  Company  is  jealous  of  us;  they  wish  to  destroy 
the  commerce  of  the  Arabs,  and  make  us  slaves  like  the  Chinese 
and  Malays.  We  wish  for  a  Company  that  would  have  more 
power  to  keep  the  country — that  would  have  less  jealousy  and 
fear,  and  would  give  more  freedom  to  trade ;  and  I  did  think 
that  you  might  give  us  the  promise  of  such  a  one. 

These  ideas  and  statements  of  the  Panyorang,  which  I  have 
just  uttered  in  plain  English  in  the  course  of  a  couple  of  minutes, 
cost  in  its  original  utterance,  at  the  least,  ten  times  that  amount 
of  time,  of  mutual  struggles  with  words  and  pantomime,  between 
myself  and  the  venerable  Arab.  I  was  strongly  impressed  with 
his  extensive  knowledge ;  though  amusingly  vague  as  regarded 
America;  with  his  quickness  of  perception,  and  above  all  with 
his  polished  and  dignified  manner;  and  I  thought  the  title  of 
Panyorang,  or  Prince,  well  befitted  the  stately  old  man. 

I  had  talked  of  America,  of  the  America  that  was  the  child 
of  England,  as  he  spoke  of  it, — of  the  number  and  mighty  size 
of  her  ships,  of  the  greatness  of  her  cities,  of  her  marvels  of 
steam  and  telegraph,  of  the  wealth,  of  the  happiness,  of  the  num 
bers  of  her  people ;  and  as  I  spoke  on  with  labored  words,  with 
moving  hands  and  animated  face,  the  grandson  had  fixed  his  eyes 
upon  me  with  eager  look ;  and  when  I  rose  to  depart,  he  said 
some  words  to  his  grandfather ;  and  Abdallah  returned  with  me 
in  the  tambangan. 

"When  on  board  and  in  my  cabin,  I  showed  the  young  Arab 
what  I  had  of  curious  things ;  books,  pictures,  dresses ;  but  he 
was  most  curious  about  maps  :  he  pointed  to  the  colored  divi 
sions  upon  a  map  of  the  globe  wi  th  inquiring  look ;  and  when  I 


THE  ADVENTUROUS  YOUNG  ARAB.  131 

mentioned  America,  he  pointed  to  it  with  dilated  eyes,  then  to 
me,  and  to  himself,  and  taking  hold  of  my  hand,  with  many  signs 
and  words  gave  me  to  understand  that  he  wished  to  sail  away 
with  me. 

I  had  been  at  first  sight  much  pleased  with  the  fine,  earnest, 
intelligent  look  of  Abdallah ;  but  now  I  felt  touched  with  this 
spirit  of  adventure  to  see  the  world,  or  his  liking  for  me,  I  did 
not  know  which  the  young  Arab  expressed.  I  spoke  to  try  him. 
I  might  not  go  back  to  America  in  one,  two,  or  three  years.  But 
would  I  not  stay  on  the  sea  with  my  ship  all  that  time  ?  if  so, 
he  wished  to  serve  me.  His  father,  Aboubaker  bin  Ali,  was  the 
captain  of  the  Djelanie,  and  sailed  to  Singapore  and  Batavia ;  but 
Abdallah  wished  to  sail  much  further.  I  was  pleased.  I  promised 
to  speak  with  the  Panyorang  and  the  captain;  and  Abdallah  left 
me  with  a  joyful  countenance. 

Whilst  the  Arab  was  taking  leave,  the  Balinese  captain 
entered.  Take  care,  said  he,  glancing  at  Abdallah,  these  Arabs 
are  greater  rogues  than  the  Malays,  though  not  in  so  small  a  way. 
They  have  an  old  Panyorang,  called  Scherriff  Ali — a  swamp  snake, 
— who  has  grown  fat  on  English,  Dutch,  Chinese  and  Malays  ;  he 
has  about  a  dozen  wives,  and  several  dozen  grandchildren,  who  pad 
dle  him  about  in  his  rambahya,  or  big  tambangan.  He  deserted 
old  Sultan  Badr  Oodin,  and  gave  up  Palembang  to  the  British ; 
and  when  the  Dutch  got  into  possession  of  Palembang  again, 
by  treaty,  he  tried  to  sell  the  place  to  the  British  governor  Raffles, 
who  was  then  at  Bencoolen.  He  is  a  cunning  old  fellow ;  and  if 
the  Dutch  were  not  afraid,  they  would  hang  him  up  right  off; 
but  the  Malays  half  worship  the  Arabs,  as  being  the  true  orang 
Islam;  and  so  the  Arabs  do  as  they  please,  and  are  the  real 
masters  of  the  native  people. 

The  Balinese  captain  did  not  know  the  person  of  the  Pan- 


132  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

yorang ;  but  he  could  assure  me  that  he  had  a  general  idea  of  the 
history  of  every  body  of  any  consequence  in  the  Archipelago;  and 
I  had  had  some  occasion  to  believe  that  his  general  knowledge  was 
almost  as  extensive  as  he  boasted.  Yet  I  was  inclined  to  think 
that  he  viewed  every  thing  native,  from  an  ordinary  European 
false  point  of  view ; — the  half  native  imitating  his  Caucasian 
progenitor,  in  the  East  the  same  as  the  West;  yet  I  could  not 
then  refute  the  assertions  about  the  Panyorang's  motives  in  his 
dealings  with  British,  Dutch,  Raffles,  and  the  Sultan  Badr  Oodin ; 
but  one  thing  I  had  observed,  that  the  little  boys  in  the  tamban- 
gan  were  all  Malays ;  and  not  one  of  the  little  fellows,  whom  I 
had  examined  very  attentively,  recalled  to  my  mind  the  slightest 
resemblance  to  the  Panyorang,  or  any  thing  Arab, — and  so  I  re 
ceived  all  the  other  assertions  of  the  captain  with  an  entire  re 
serve  of  judgment. 

It  is  too  true,  said  the  elder  Missionary,  that  this  captain  only 
uttered  the  sentiments  of  all  Europeans  in  the  East ;  who  from  the 
beginning,  deal  with  the  natives  in  the  spirit  of  dealing  with  rogues, 
and  never  seem  to  wish  to  believe  that  a  Malay,  Javanese  or 
Chinaman,  could  possibly  have  a  good  or  honorable  sentiment. 
These,  like  our  Indians  in  America,  like  Africans,  like  every  other 
people  not  Caucasians,  are  looked  upon  as  born  bad — designed  by 
Providence  to  remain  so ;  and  to  be  used  or  abused,  according  to 
the  interest  or  whim  of  the  superior  race.  When  they  shall  be 
treated  with  a  parental  kindness  and  forbearance,  with  some  love 
and  patience,  as  though  dealing  with  children ;  acting  firmly  and 
without  suspicion ;  showing  that  you  seek  their  interest  as  well 
as  your  own ;  giving  them  no  poison ;  giving  them  good  advice 
and  faithful  protection ;  then  I  am  sure  they  would  repay  with  the 
love  and  fidelity  of  children ;  for  ail  these  races  secin  glad  to 


DUTCH    POLICY    IN    THE    ARCHIPELAGO.  133 

look  up  to  the  white  man.  He  is  indeed  their  superior,  and 
should  be  their  affectionate  elder  brother.  But  what  has  he  been 
throughout  all  India  and  China  ?  we  will  not  look  elsewhere. 
Has  it  not  been  his  sole  object  to  come  to  the  East  to  seek  wealth, 
wrung  out  of  toiling  simplicity  and  ignorance,  with  which  he  re 
turns  home  to  make  a  vulgar,  barbaric  display,  whether  in  Eng 
land,  America  or  Holland  ?  What  a  mission  has  been  here  for 
power  and  civilization !  For  two  hundred  years  and  more,  the 
three  millions  of  Christian  Dutchmen  have  been  the  masters  over 
seven  generations  of  about  fifteen  millions  of  Mahometan  and 
Pagan  Malays,  Javanese  and  other  races  of  the  Archipelago, — 
not  less  than  one  hundred  millions  in  all ;  and  for  what  pur 
pose  ? — to  fill  the  plethoric  coffers  of  stolid  men  of  Amsterdam 
and  Rotterdam,  the  old  Company  of  sordid  monopolists ;  and  now 
to  support  a  poor  royalty,  a  vicious  younger  branch  of  the  once 
energetic  family  of  Nassau. 

"What  glory  for  Holland,  if  she  had  sent  ten  thousand  of  her 
men  from  home,  solely  to  teach  and  elevate  the  people  of  Java 
and  Sumatra;  to  teach  them  the  hopes  of  immortality  of  her 
church,  the  security  of  her  laws,  the  advantages  of  her  litera 
ture,  and  the  amenities  of  her  civilization.  The  gratitude  of 
this  people  would  surely  have  given  more,  than  has  been  wrung 
from  them  by  ten  thousand  soldiers,  and  by  systems  of  surveil 
lance  and  order,  for  the  sake  of  making  easy  the  collection  of 
revenue,  the  sole  object  of  European  Government  in  the  East. 

That  all  sounds  very  well,  said  the  Commander  of  the  Palmer, 
in  his  usual  blunt  way ;  but  when  I  hear  of  missionaries  going 
among  Malays  or  Chinese,  without  scrip  or  purse,  trusting  to  the 
gratitude  of  the  people,  they  go  to  teach  for  their  subsistence, 
and  caring  nothing  for  pay  or  honors, — then  it  may  be  time  for  re 
proaching  governments  for  not  carrying  out  missionary  operations 


134  PRISON    OF    WELTEVKEDEN. 

on  a  grand  scale.  You  will  do  far  more  good  to  the  Chinese  and 
Malays  by  thrashing  work  out  of  them,  and  making  them  wide 
awake  to  trade ;  making  them  feel  that  they  must  do  it  honestly, 
than  by  teaching  them  a  lot  of  home  stuff,  which  no  more  suits 
these  down-Easters,  than  pigtails  and  black  teeth  would  ours  at 
home. 

Both  were  extreme, — the  kindly  old  missionary  with  his 
Utopian  plans  for  bettering  races  of  men — the  product  of  ages  of 
vitiation ;  and  the  worthy  captain,  in  thinking  that  there  is  not 
enough  humanity  left  in  them,  for  philanthropy  to  go  to  work 
upon,  with  any  plan  whatever.  The  Chinese,  Hindus,  Malays, 
and  other  people  of  the  East,  may  become  wiser,  stronger  and 
happier,  when  missionaries  of  the  gospel  shall  go  forth  among 
them,  more  zealous  and  unencumbered,  and  less  as  mere  stipen 
diary  agents  of  a  company ;  and  when  merchants  and  ship  captains 
who  go  East,  shall  get  some  other  ideas  of  a  race,  than  what 
they  learn  from  lascars  and  coolies, — the  vicious  offspring  of 
trade, — the  helots  of  commerce  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 


NINETEENTH  DAY. 

On  the  day  following  his  visit  to  the  Arab  Panyorang,  the 
commander  of  the  Flirt  took  dinner  with  Governor  de  Brauw  at 
the  Residency.  He  met  a  large,  and  fine-looking  company  of 
ladies  and  officers  at  the  Governor's  table,  where  he  was  received 
with  marked  attention,  as  the  chief  honored  guest. 

After  some  remark  about  the  peculiar  dainties  of  Palembang, 
the  Governor  spoke  of  the  warlike  condition  of  the  country. 
Hostile  parties  of  natives  came  into  the  neighborhood  of  the  fort, 
and  with  the  pepper,  cinnamon,  dammar,  and  gold  dust  brought 
from  the  interior,  purchased  firearms  and  ammunition  from  Arab 
and  Chinese  traders,  who  affect  a  friendliness  to  the  Europeans, 
but  secretly  aid  the  native  princes  in  their  insidious  warfare. 

This  state  of  brigandage,  as  he  termed  it,  had  continued  since 
the  departure  of  the  British  forces  from  the  Dutch  possessions  in 
the  Archipelago,  which  had  been  seized  by  England  at  the  time 
of  the  incorporation  of  Holland  into  the  empire  of  Napoleon. 
The  Government  of  Great  Britain  had  reluctantly  complied  with 
an  act  of  national  justice,  in  restoring  to  the  Netherlands  their 
possessions  in  the  East,  whilst  the  agents  of  that  Government 
sought  by  intrigue  to  render  valueless  the  restoration,  by  inciting 
the  native  princes  to  a  maintenance  of  their  independence. 

This  was  especially  true  of  Sir  Stamford  Raffles,  the  founder 


136  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

of  Singapore.  He  had  kept  up,  whilst  in  power  in  Java  and 
Sumatra,  a  correspondence  with  every  prince  of  note  in  the 
Archipelago ;  with  no  one  more  than  with  the  fierce  and  bloody 
Sultan  Badr  Oodin,  who  sat  on  the  throne  of  Palembang  at  the 
time  of  the  restoration. 

This  cruel  and  treacherous  prince,  had  ordered  the  massacre 
of  the  people  of  the  Dutch  factory,  established  in  his  dominions. 
The  British  Government  affected  to  chastise  him  for  this;  took 
his  kraton,  or  palace  at  this  place;  but  after  obtaining  from 
him  the  tin  mines  of  Banca,  they  allowed  his  sanguinary  char 
acter  full  license  as  before.  When  the  Netherlands  came  into 
power  again  in  the  Archipelago,  the  Sultan  Badr  Oodin  was 
deposed,  and  his  younger  brother,  Nayem  Oodin,  a  good  prince 
of  easy  nature,  was  elevated  in  his  stead. 

The  British  resumed  their  machinations.  The  quiet  prince  was 
dethroned,  and  his  elder  brother  recommenced  a  reign  of  terror 
over  Palembang.  He  waged  a  fierce,  and  for  a  time,  a  successful 
warfare  against  the  forces  of  the  Netherlands.  He  drove  every 
European  out  of  his  dominions;  but  the  General  de  Kock  re 
turned  the  ensuing  year  with  a  fleet  and  army,  with  which  he 
defeated  the  forces  of  the  perfidious  Sultan,  and  took  him  a 
prisoner  of  war  to  Batavia. 

The  younger  brother  was  reinstated  Sultan  of  Palembang ; 
but  again  a  secret  British  influence  began  to  incite  this  weak 
prince  to  hostile  acts ;  he  was  deposed,  and  the  Government  of 
the  Netherlands  assumed  the  protectorate  of  the  Sultanate, 
which  it  has  endeavored  to  maintain  up  to  this  time ;  but  the 
infatuated  natives,  regardless  of  the  advantages  of  regularly 
administered  laws,  increasing  the  security  of  life  and  property 
and  all  the  advantages  of  a  well  regulated  trade,  still  clamor 
for  the  return  of  the  race  of  their  tyrants,  who  made  sport 


137 

with  the  lives,  property,  and  female  honor  of  their  subjects; 
they  resist  all  our  good  intentions,  and  bite  like  their  own  tigers, 
at  the  hand  that  would  feed  and  help  them.  We  point  in  vain 
to  the  comfortable  and  contented  Javanese,  as  an  evidence  of 
the  beneficence  of  our  rule. 

Sumatra  and  Java,  said  Major  Van  Blomrnestein,  an  officer 
with  a  slightly  Creole  complexion,  and  a  good-humored  intelli 
gent  countenance,  are  like  the  wolf  and  the  house-dog  in  the 
fable.  The  Javanese  mastiff  will  fatten  with  a  chain  around 
his  neck;  but  this  gaunt,  fierce  Malay  wolf  of  Sumatra,  will 
never  be  tamed  or  made  profitable  in  any  way.  We  must  deal 
with  Sumatrans,  as  the  Americans  have  dealt  with  the  Iroquois 
and  the  Mohawks,  or  let  them  alone  altogether. 

To  this,  the  commander  of  the  Flirt  replied,  that  the  Ame 
rican  Government  had  paid  many  millions  of  dollars  for  the 
sovereignty  of  the  Indian  lands,  and  said  that  territory  not 
greater  in  extent  than  Sumatra,  which  he  understood  to  be 
upwards  of  eleven  hundred  miles  long,  and  an  average  of  one 
hundred  miles  broad,  had  cost  not  less  than  forty  millioce  of 
dollars; — say  ninety  millions  of  guilders, —  more  probably  than 
the  net  revenue  of  the  whole  Archipelago,  since  it  had  bce-n  in 
the  possession  of  Holland.  Was  she  willing  to  pay  for  sove 
reignty  at  that  rate  ? 

You  Americans,  said  the  naval  commander,  with  a  laugh  of 
apparent  good  humor,  can  beat  all  the  world  in  telling  a  good 
story,  as  well  as  in  every  thing  else.  How  can  you  be  so  rich, 
when  your  chief  city  of  Washington  was  mortgaged  to  some 
of  our  folks  in  Amsterdam, — Hope  and  Company  I  believe, 
arid  was  at  one  time  about  to  be  sold  under  the  hammer,  to 
satisfy  the  claim  of  our  poor  Dutchmen:  and  would  have  been 
sold,  had  not  your  terrible  President,  the  one  who  defeated  the 


138  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

British  by  lying  quiet  behind  some  cotton  bales,  laid  an  embargo 
upon  the  revenues  of  the  country ;  and  unlike  Camillus,  saved  the 
capitol  with  hard  money  instead  of  the  sword. 

When  the  somewhat  rude  and  prolonged  laugh  of  the  Dutch 
officers  had  subsided,  the  American  commander  said :  that  it 
was  true,  some  portion  of  the  small  lot  of  ground,  where  the 
American  Legislature  assembled,  had  been  mortgaged  by  a  city 
corporation  for  money  borrowed  in  Holland;  and  when  the 
Dutch  creditors  had  sought  to  foreclose  the  mortgage,  the  then 
President  of  the  United  States  (General  Jackson)  had  recom 
mended  to  Congress  to  assist  the  municipality  of  Washington  in 
releasing  itself  from  its  obligation,  which  no  more  concerned  the 
credit  and  wealth  of  the  country  at  large,  or  perhaps  not  as  much, 
as  the  credit  of  Holland  was  concerned,  when  her  late  king 
sold  her  cabinets  of  rare  paintings — the  work  of  her  sons  of 
genius,  never  to  be  replaced — to  meet  the  expenses  of  a  vicious 
court  life.  It  is  true,  that  the  same  Hope  &  Co.,  who  held 
the  mortgage  on  the  town  lots  of  Washington,  also  had  a 
claim  upon  William  of  Nassau :  but  there  was  no  Congress, 
holding  the  untold  millions  of  a  free  people  to  help  him;  and 
so,  the  capitol, — the  Valhalla  of  Netherlands  art,  was  sacked 
by  an  auctioneering  Brennus,  and  carried  off  by  the  barbarian 
dilettanti  of  Europe.  And  as  for  the  cotton  bales  of  New  Or 
leans,  it  might  have  been  better  for  the  Netherlands  to  have 
had  a  few  of  them  in  the  Archipelago,  with  some  of  the  same 
rifles  that  were  planted  behind  them,  when  Lord  Minto  and  Sir 
Stamford  Raffles  went  to  Batavia. 

Several  officers  sprang  up  to  reply,  or  to  make  some  other 
kind  of  demonstration,  when  the  Resident  rose,  with  calm  and 
impressive  dignity,  proposed  that  the  company  should  drink 
to  the  health  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  of 


THE    CAPTIVES.  139 

William  the  Third,  of  Nassau; — which  was  done.  The  first  one 
heartily,  by  the  ladies  present ;  and  the  latter  received  a  bois 
terous  vociferation  from  the  loyal  Dutchmen.  Afterwards 
the  Resident  proposed,  that  the  two  gentlemen  of  the  sea — 
his  guest,  and  his  naval  friend  of  the  guard  ship — should 
pledge  each  other,  which  was  done,  and  apparent  cordiality  was 
restored,  and  continued  at  the  whist  parties  of  the  gentlemen 
and  among  the  music  of  the  ladies  in  the  drawing-room ;  and 
when  the  guest  took  his  leave,  the  Resident  and  his  chief 
officers  present,  accepted  an  invitation  to  dine  on  board  the 
American  clipper. 

After  leaving  the  Residency,  the  commander  not  finding 
his  Malay  servant  at  the  gate  of  the  Fort  in  waiting  with  a 
torch,  set  off  alone  towards  the  boat  landing.  He  took  a  con 
trary  direction  and  wandered  off  among  the  native  campongs, 
far  beyond  the  precincts  of  the  fort. 

He  was  tempted  by  the  soothing  freshness  of  a  tropic 
night,  which  are  ever  cool  and  breezy  at  Palembang,  like  the 
softest  of  Indian  summer  evenings  in  South  Carolina.  The 
deep,  ruttling  roar  of  some  wild  elephants  broke  harshly  upon 
the  stillness  of  the  night :  they  were  some  just  caught,  chained 
to  trees  outside  the  fort, — their  trunks  drawn  up  and  tethered 
to  a  pendent  limb;  and  in  this  irksome  plight,  tortured  with 
hunger  and  thirst  by  man,  who  wanted  to  get  the  benefit  of 
their  labor,  by  destroying  their  native  sense  of  liberty,  the 
poor  huge  brutes,  with  imbecile  strength,  broke  the  weary  air 
with  wailings  at  the  tyranny  of  the  ruthless  little  animal  that 
had  bound  them. 

These  were  not  the  only  captives ;  other  poor  children  of 
nature,  were  making  softer  lament  against  cruel  jailors,  the 
godlike  masters  of  brute  and  bird.  A  plaintive  sound — a  soft, 


140  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

moaning  human-like  note,  said  ku-whoo — ku-kur — ku-kuruboo, 
— then  a  deep  gurgling  bar  of  sound  canie  from  the  throat  of 
the  burung  kukur,  (the  Sumatran  dove,)  filling  the  night  with 
its  taught,  notes  of  a  sad  sounding  melody. 

But  he  soon  had  cause  to  think  that  it  were  well  for  man, 
that  the  brute  and  bird  were  all  he  made  to  mourn.  As  he 
followed  a  narrow  way  between  lines  of  low  bamboo  huts,  he 
heard  a  pleading  cry  of  female  voices,  drowned  at  times  by 
oaths  and  brutal  words  from  coarse  Dutch  voices;  and  a 
minute  later,  saw  by  the  torch  light  of  an  oppas,  three  Dutch 
officers,  who  were  driving  before  them  two  weeping  and  sobbing 
young  Malay  women ; — the  officers  striking  and  thrusting  at  the 
poor  girls  with  their  canes,  as  these  stopped  and  turned  round, — 
and  uttered  words  of  entreaty. 

The  officers  looked  amazed  at  the  presence  of  the  stranger. 
One  of  them,  who  had  been  on  board  the  Balinese  barque, 
recognized  him,  and  asked  in  French  what  mad  curiosity  had 
brought  him  wandering  among  the  Malay  carnpongs  beyond 
the  protection  of  the  fort,  where  a  lonely  European's  life  was 
not  worth  an  hour's  purchase.  You  see  we  have  a  picket  of 
soldiers  in  our  rear,  as  a  necessary  guard  for  a  night  frolic 

The  commander  explained  how  he  had  lost  his  servant, 
and  his  way;  and  that  he  was  on  no  such  errand  as  theirs. 
He  did  not  wonder  that  they  needed  guards,  when  the  chil 
dren  of  the  country  were  driven  thus  like  wretched  cattle. 
The  officers,  who  were  urging  the  poor  girls  with  such  brutality 
forward,  were  coarse-looking  men,  half-drunk ;  they  growled  in 
Dutch  about  the  stranger — who  was  he — what  the  blixem  did  he 
want — gave  the  girls  a  rude  shove,  and  marched  on. 

The  barque  acquaintance,  who  was  sober,  walked  a  little  in 
the  rear  with  the  commander,  to  whom  he  promised  to  furnish 


CONCUBINAGE    IN    THE    ARMY    OF    NETHERLAND    INDIA.         141 

a  tambangan,  to  put  him  on  board  his  vessel.  You  may  think 
very  hard  of  what  you  see;  a  case  of  abduction,  kidnapping — 
a  terrible  outrage  upon  helpless  innocence — it  is  nothing  of  the 
sort.  These  two  officers,  a  lieutenant  and  adjutant  in  the  mess 
to  which  I  belong,  had  bargained  with  an  old  Malay  hadjy — 
a  pilgrim  as  the  rascal  calls  himself, — having  been  to  Mecca; 
but  you  will  meet  with,  in  the  Archipelago,  more  hadjys  than 
ever  got  sight  of  the  mausoleum  of  Mahomet.  They  had 
purchased  of  him  two  girls,  said  to  be  prawan,  or  virgins,  just 
brought  from  the  Ulu  or  hill  country. 

You  must  know  that  the  government  does  not  want  the 
officers  of  the  army  in  the  East  to  be  burdened  with  wives; 
whoever  takes  one,  must  give  security  to  the  amount  of  ten 
thousand  florins, — a  fabulous  sum  for  any  poor  devil  of  an 
officer  under  the  grade  of  colonel :  but  the  benevolent  govern 
ment,  though  fearful  of  the  disqualifying  encumbrance  of  a 
family,  affords  facilities  for  a  general  concubinage;  and  so 
my  friends  here,  wishing  to  obtain  those  allowable  army  fol 
lowers,  called  nyahees,  who  are  left  behind  at  every  station, — 
made  a  bargain  with  the  hadjy  as  I  have  just  told.  He  did 
not  bring  the  girls  to  the  rakit, — our  floating  barracks  on  the 
river, — at  the  appointed  time.  Some  dodging  was  suspected; 
and  so,  whilst  the  captain  of  our  mess  was  gone  to  the  Residency 
to  meet  the  American  commodore  (for  some  of  our  benighted 
Dutchmen,  and  they  of  the  highest  at  Minto  and  Palembang, 
will  have  it  that  you  are  something  of  the  sort  in  disguise), 
along  with  the  jolly  Havermeester  and  our  drunken  admiral ; 
these  friends  started  off  in  search  of  their  purchases, — persuading 
me  to  accompany  them.  We  found  the  hadjy,  who  made  piteous 
protestation,  that  by  no  fault  of  his  had  he  failed  to  come.  He 
had  told  some  lying  story  to  the  .mother  of  the  girls,  who  had 


142  PRISON    OP    WELTEVREDEN. 

come  with  her  children  to  Palembang.  When  she  found  that 
they  were  to  be  sold  to  soldiers,  she  set  up  a  howl,  and  the 
young  ones  along  with  her ; — no  doubt  the  hadjy  wanted  to  keep 
too  much  of  the  price  of  their  virginity  to  himself.  He  could 
not  deliver  his  merchandise,  but  pointed  it  out.  My  friends 
had  swallowed  enough  of  schiedam,  not  to  be  baulked :  they 
had  some  trouble  with  the  old  lady,  and  started  up  a  wicked 
looking  crowd  with  krisses,  which  fortunately  our  bayonets  kept 
off  from  us.  The  girls  make  a  rather  unusual  disturbance 
which  I  don't  understand;  for  the  buying  and  selling  of  them 
is  as  common  as  the  traffic  of  snipes  in  the  market;  and 
nothing  more  common,  than  for  a  mother  to  sell  her  own 
children. 

The  party  had  now  reached  some  large  bamboo  house  frames 
lined  with  fine  matting  and  close  wicker  work ;  they  were  afloat 
on  raft  foundations,  and  moored  by  enormous  twisted  bamboo 
cables  to  the  river  bank,  which  has  no  shoaling  beach,  but  runs 
steep  down  at  the  water's  edge,  like  a  canal  embankment, — there 
being  sixty  feet  depth  of  water,  within  less  than  that  distance 
from  the  shore. 

The  party  stepped  along  a  floating,  mat  covered  causeway, 
into  the  rakit,  as  the  floating  houses  of  Palembang  are  called. 
The  girls  were  thrust  into  a  small  verandah  room,  and  left  in 
charge  of  an  oppas ;  whilst  the  officers  and  commander  entered 
upon  another  part  of  the  rakit,  filled  with  clouds  of  tobacco 
smoke,  and  coarse  sounds,  in  which  the  Dutch  dom  and  blixein 
prevailed. 

The  commander  was  quickly  pledged  with  schiedam,  and 
with  the  haansche  bier  of  Rotterdam,  the  chief  Dutch  guzzle 
in  the  Archipelago.  Gentlemen,  said  a  lieutenant  in  very  bad 
French,  with  red  hair  and  short  nose,  rising  up  unsteadily  with 


THE    RESIDENT    OF    PALEMBANG.  143 

tumbler  in  hand, — let  us  drink  to  the  health  of  the  Governor's 
guest  at  dinner,  who  has  condescended  to  leave  the  parlor  to 
coine  and  take  tea  in  the  barracks.  We  can  give  him  a  heartier 
bumper,  and  a  warmer  look  and  shake  of  the  hand,  than  our 
cold,  smiling,  fish-blooded  chief. 

Silence  there,  about  the  Resident ;  said  a  dark-complexioned, 
severe  looking  officer,  in  Dutch.  I  will  not  hear  Col.  de  Brauw 
spoken  of  disrespectfully  by  any  one  here.  Yes,  you  shall  by 
me;  said  a  pale,  thin,  slight-formed  man,  who  had  been  ad 
dressed  as  captain.  I  say,  that  De  Brauw  is  a  false-hearted 
dog :  he  has  played  false  with  one  half  the  officers  in  the  gar 
rison  :  he  stole  the  credit  of  an  action  at  the  storming  of  Singa 
Rajah  in  Bali,  from  a  sergeant  in  his  company,  which  got  him 
his  promotion :  he  basely  lied,  as  you  all  well  know,  to  the  chief, 
Ferdano  Mantri, — promising  to  show  him  the  beauties  of  a  war 
ship  just  arrived;  and  then  confining  the  brave,  confiding 
native  on  board,  to  be  sent  to  Batavia.  You  all  know  that 
Ferdano  Mantri  was  a  noble  and  enlightened  chief,  feared  by 
us  because  loved  by  his  people ; — his  bravery,  and  the  fidelity 
of  his  adherents,  made  him  dangerous ;  and  so  our  government 
needed  a  De  Brauw  to  decoy  a  brave  man  into  a  base  trap.  I 
know  the  Resident  has  power,  more  than  common  Residents ;  he 
has  tried  it  on  me ;  he  has  put  me  under  arrest  for  the  unno 
ticed  peccadilloes  of  his  own  cringing  clique.  Go  tell  him  that 
I  said  so ;  that  he  may  ruin  me  sooner  than  he  now  intends;  he 
has  power  indeed; — an  adjutant  of  the  King, — a  royal  bastard  of 
the  Hague. 

The  dark-complexioned  officer  made  some  retort  in  Dutch, 
which  was  answered  by  a  bottle  hurled  at  his  head.  All  the 
revellers  sprang  to  their  feet, — making  wild  din,  with  oaths  and 
drunken  scuffle.  The  dark  and  the  pale  faced  officer  had  thrown 


14-4  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

down  the  table  that  stood  between  them,  and  locked  arms  in 
hostile  grapple; — and  all  the  rest  were  engaged  in  separating 
them  when  their  unexpected  guest  slipped  away  unseen  from  the 
midst  of  the  melee. 

He  went  out,  the  way  he  entered,  to  the  causeway  leading 
ashore;  ho  saw  the  oppas  asleep  on  his  guard  at  the  verandah 
room,  and  heard  sobbing  sounds  coming  from  within.  He  had 
thought  of  no  plan  to  help  these  seeming  victims ;  but  now  these 
moans  smote  upon  his  heart.  He  approached  the  door,  undid 
the  fastenings, — the  sound  of  their  removal  being  unheard  amid 
the  din  still  going  on  within.  The  girls  were  seen  by  some  faint 
rays  of  moonlight,  cowering  in  a  corner — Come  out  and  run; 
quick,  quick,  I  am  your  friend !  said  their  liberator  in  Malay. 

They  rose  up,  they  looked  around  them,  then  at  the  open  door ; 
they  seemed  to  feel  around  with  their  hands ;  they  approached 
the  door  with  crouching  movement ;  they  looked  out  fearfully ; 
their  friend  stood  aloof;  the  roar  of  voices,  crashing  bottles,  and 
breaking  chairs,  came  from  the  mess-room ;  out  sprang  the  girls, 
and  with  a  few  bounds,  they  crossed  the  causeway,  and  were  lost 
amid  the  gloom  on  shore. 

The  commander  got  ashore,  without  being  seen  by  the 
awakened  oppas.  He  had  now  learned  the  way  to  the  boat 
landing.  He  reached  it,  and  there  he  found  his  truant  Bahdoo, 
asleep  in  the  tambangan,  which  brought  him  ashore,  where  the 
fellow  had  been  dozing  at  the  time  his  master  left  the  Residency. 

The  commander  was  surprised  to  see  in  his  cabin,  the  next 
morning,  the  Balinese  skipper,  in  company  with  the  pale-faced 
captain  of  the- previous  night's  brawl.  These  two  had  met  else 
where,  in  the  Archipelago,  and  were  old  friends.  The  Dutch 
officer  had  taken  an  interest  in  what  he  had  heard  about  the 
American  commander,  who,  with  his  vessel  had  become  for  tho 


THR    TERRITORY   OF    PALEMBANO.  145 

time  being  the  sole  topic  of  conversation  in  the  garrison  and 
among  the  native  campongs.  He  had  been  sorry  that  the  black 
guardism  of  the  night  before  had  hindered  his  design  to  become 
better  acquainted ;  that  row,  by  the  way,  having  ended  with  some 
bruised  bones  and  cut  faces ;  and  he  pointed  to  an  ugly  mark  on  his 
right  cheek ; — but  with  the  soberness  of  the  morning,  peace  has 
returned,  and  little  damage  has  been  done;  except,  the  loss  of  two 
girls,  who  broke  prison  in  a  most  unaccountable  way ;  and  our 
lieutenant  is  now  busy  trying  to  discover  how  they  got  out,  and 
by  what  help,  and  where  they  have  gone  to. 

The  infantry  captain  went  on  to  say  that  he  had  heard  from 
his  friend  of  the  barque,  of  the  great  desire  of  the  American 
gentleman  to  know  something  about  the  interior  of  Sumatra. 
He  was  happy  to  have  it  in  his  power  to  gratify  his  curiosity  to 
a  great  extent.  He  had  commanded  a  topographical  corps  and 
surveyed  all  the  up-country  of  Palembang,  and  all  the  head-waters 
of  the  Moosie,  fighting  as  he  surveyed, — having  lost  in  the  moun 
tains  during  the  last  expedition,  more  than  two  hundred  of  his 
men, — slain  by  the  lances  of  the  Malays. 

He  drew  a  compact  roll  from  a  side  pocket  and  showed  a  finely 
executed  map  of  the  Palembang  territory,  including  a  portion  of 
the  territory  of  Bencoolen  on  the  ocean  side,  or  north-western 
coast;  and  of  the  Sultanate  of  Jambee  and  Kubu  country  on 
the  east ;  and  as  he  pointed  to  various  localities  on  the  map  he 
made  the  following  comments  in  answer  to  various  questions  upon 

THE  TOPOGRAPHY  OF  THE  TERRITORY  OF  PALEMBANG. 

It  comprises  about  one  fourth  of  the  surface  of  the  island  of 
Sumatra;  extending  from  101°  40'  to  106°  0'  of  longitude  east 
of  Greenwich;  (the  Captain  reckoned  from  the  Meridian  of 
Paris) ;  and  from  6°  40'  to  3°  30'  South  Latitude. 

7 


146  PRISON   OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

The  boundaries  are; — on  the  north-west,  a  lofty  range  of 
mountains  called  Bukit  Barisan ;  portion  of  a  chain  which  runs 
the  whole  length  of  the  island  near  the  ocean  side  on  the  west ; 
precisely  like  the  Cordilleras  of  South  America.  This  Sumatran 
range  has  an  average  elevation  of  4,000  feet  j  there  are  several 
volcanic  peaks;  the  Gunung  Planak;  the  Bukit  Ulu-Moosie, 
and  the  Gunung  Dempoh; — the  latter  attaining  an  eleva 
tion  of  9,000  feet.  On  the  north,  and  north-east,  are  the  terri 
tories  of  the  Sultan  of  Jambee,  whom  our  Government  chooses 
to  call  a  vassal;  although  not  one  of  our  people  dare  set  foot 
within  the  dominions  of  his  Jambee  Highness.  On  the  east  and 
Bouth-east, — the  China  Sea,  and  Straits  of  Banca ;  on  the  south, 
— the  Java  Sea ;  and  south-west, — the  territory  of  the  Lampongs, 
who  occupy  all  the  southern  end  of  Sumatra. 

The  rivers  are  numerous,  and  many  of  them  navigable  to  a 
great  extent.  You  have  seen,  that  the  stream  you  have  ascended 
could  be  navigated  by  a  line  of  battle  ship  up  to  this  place.  It  is 
of  extraordinary  depth,  far  deeper  comparatively  at  Palembang, 
than  your  Mississippi  at  New  Orleans;  and  you  could  ascend  with 
your  schooner,  when  not  drawing  more  than  ten  feet  of  water,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  higher  up,  as  far  as  Moora  Klingie  on  the 
Moosie.  For  a  hundred  miles  beyond  that  point,  it  is  navigable 
for  penchalangs, — long,  freight  tambangans,  which  will  carry 
thirty  and  forty  tons  weight.  I  should  say  that  there  was  at 
least  1,500  miles  of  good  steamboat  and  ship  navigation  within 
the  territory.  All  these  streams,  about  a  dozen  principal  ones, 
and  numberless  tributaries,  run  into  a  singular  circle  of  water,  like 
BO  many  ribbons  attached  to  a  hoop ;  and  this  central  position 
was  most  judiciously  selected  for  a  fort  and  palace  by  the  old 
Sultans. 

The  rivers  of  Palembang  are  like  a  bundle  of  serpents,  grasped 


GREEDINESS  OF  HOLLAND.  147 

by  the  middle ;  seven  wildly-tossed  necks  stretch  out  towards  the 
coast,  and  seven  jaws  pour  the  floods  of  the  interior  into  the  China 
Sea;  behind  the  point  where  grasped,  the  coiling  forms  are 
spread  in  wild  contortion  over  the  whole  breadth  of  the  land;  and 
at  the  grasped  point, — the  deep  neck  of  waters,  between  the  island 
of  Kombaroo,  and  the  mouth  of  the  Pladjoo,  the  late  Sultan,  the 
terrible  Badr  Oodin,  a  fitting  holder  of  the  serpents,  gave  us  a 
bloody  reception  in  1818,  and  1821. 

The  roads  are  few ;  there  are  hardly  any  other  means  of 
communication  between  the  different  points  in  the  territory  ex 
cept  by  water.  A  tambangan  inland  and  a  prahu  at  sea,  is  the 
chief  home  of  a  Sumatran;  I  mean  of  course  the  Malays. 
There  are  some  pathways,  through  the  great  forests  and  swamps 
of  the  interior,  which  are  utterly  impassable  to  European 
troops.  All  our  expeditions  into  the  interior  have  been  by  water. 

We  have  a  bamboo  fort,  at  a  point  on  the  head-waters  of  the 
Moosie,  called  Tebing  Tinggi,  a  corruption  of  Benteng  Tinggi, 
signifying,  high  fort ;  and  we  have  some  small  military  posts, 
at  Lahat,  Roopit,  Klingi,  and  other  places  in  the  interior ;  but 
they  cost  an  immense  sacrifice  of  men  and  money  to  maintain 
them ;  and  perhaps  we  will  be  forced  to  abandon  them ;  as  we 
did  our  posts  in  the  Siak  and  Indraghiri  territories,  in  the  north 
ern  part  of  Sumatra.  The  rulers  at  the  Hague,  are  like  some  of 
yours  in  America ;  ready  to  drop  a  thing,  regardless  of  glory,  when 
it  ceases  to  pay.  They  would  leave  Sumatra  to  itself;  for  it  is 
an  expensive  wild  beast,  that  destroys  a  good  deal  of  the  sub 
stance  produced  by  the  tame  animal  of  Java ;  but  if  we  go  away, 
the  British,  or  you  Yankees  will  come  in,  and  set  on  the  Suma 
tran  tiger  to  worry  the  Javanese  buffalo.  We  would  grow  rich 
with  those  nice  plantations,  Java  and  the  Moluccas  alone ;  but 
little  Holland  is  a  grasping  old  fool,  in  trying  to  hold  the  great 


148  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

wilderness  of  Sumatra,  Borneo,  Celebes,  and  all  the  Archipelago 
besides.  It  is  like  one  of  your  people,  who  owns  a  snug  paying 
plantation  in  the  old  States ;  after  increasing  a  little  he  becomes 
ambitious  to  own  big  tracts  of  lands ;  buys  up  small  states  of 
Indian  territory ;  the  little  plantation  is  worn  out  to  meet  tho 
tax  bill  for  hunting  grounds ;  and  by  and  by  a  lot  of  those  no 
madic  gentlemen,  you  call  squatters,  set  up  a  title  with  rifle  in 
hand  to  the  unsettled  dominions  of  the  ruined  planter ;  which  he 
never  enjoyed  except  on  paper;  as  Holland  enjoys  Sumatra, 
Borneo,  and  Papua  on  maps. 

We  have  few  reliable  data,  to  determine  the  population  of  any 
portion  of  Sumatra ;  I  should  say,  four  millions  of  souls  was  the 
lowest  estimate,  of  which  I  would  allow  one  third  of  a  million 
for  this  territory.  The  official  report  gives  a  much  lower  num 
ber  :  but  the  official  population  estimates  are  all  below  the  mark. 
The  government  wishes  to  speak  very  moderately  about  the  ex 
tent  and  populousness  of  these  great  islands.  The  population  of 
this  town  is  seventy  thousand,  of  which  two  thousand  are  Arabs, — 
the  oligarchs,  that  really  rule  the  land,  through  the  religion  of 
the  people :  four  thousand  are  Chinese ;  who  here,  as  elsewhere 
in  the  Archipelago,  are  like  the  Parsees  of  Hindustan,  and  the 
Jews  of  Europe ; — the  ever  thrifty  and  wealthy  peddlers  of  the 
east,  the  true  men  of  trade,  with  about  as  little  soul,  and  as  much 
cash,  as  the  great  and  little  peddlers  of  Amsterdam,  London  and 
New  York.  And  all  the  rest  of  the  people  of  Palembang  are 
chiefly  Malay;  except  some  Javanese  settlers  induced  to  come 
here  by  our  government,  in  order  to  check  a  little  the  fierce  Malay 
element  of  the  population. 

Within  the  walls  of  this  fort,  and  at  other  posts  in  the 
territory,  we  have  two  thousand  troops,  two  thirds  of  which  are 
Javanese  and  other  natives.  We  have  no  foothold  outside  of 


THE  COVETED  CARBINE.  149 

tha  fort,  beyond  the  range  of  the  guns.  The  Malays  would  give 
us  for  food  to  the  caymans,  in  one  night,  if  our  fortifications  were 
gone.  We  dare  not  wander  in  the  campongs  single-handed.  The 
Malay  is  quick  with  his  kriss,  and  you  would  do  well  not  to  ven 
ture  on  shore  alone.  The  people  are  hospitable  to  strangers, — 
would  no  doubt  receive  you  kindly,  but  they  might  mistake  you 
for  a  Dutchman,  and  give  you  a  point  of  poisoned  steel  before 
they  had  discovered  their  mistake.  You  would  do  well  to  apply 
to  the  Resident  for  a  couple  of  soldiers  for  an  escort  when  going 
ashore ;  but  be  cautious  in  your  intercourse  with  that  man.  He 
has  shown  you  great  attention ;  he  has  drawn  in  his  claws,  and 
held  out  the  velvety  paw ;  but  mark  that  cold  eye,  and  rigid  face 
which  accompany  the  languid  smile,  and  you  will  read  the  cold 
est  of  treachery.  He  is  now  about  to  send  me  again  into  the 
interior,  and  I  expect  to  receive  orders  for  the  march  at  any  hour. 
Whilst  I  was  making  up  my  knapsack,  this  morning,  our  Balinese 
friend  spoke  to  me  about  an  admirable  little  breech-loading  car 
bine  which  you  possess,  the  very  thing  I  want,  and  am  willing  to 
give  any  price  within  my  means  that  you  will  name. 

The  carbine  was  produced,  and  examined,  the  officer  was  in 
raptures ;  he  had  never  seen  any  thing  more  efficient  than  the 
clumsy  muskets  of  the  service.  This  small  arm  was  loaded  by 
raising  the  chambered  breech  with  a  spring,  which  closed  again 
by  the  first  pull  of  the  trigger.  The.  Dutchman  handled  it  with 
delight.  But  the  owner  regretted  to  have  to  say,  that  it  was  the 
only  firearm  fit  for  use,  that  he  had  on  board  his  vessel,  and  he 
did  not  wish  to  part  with  it.  A  couple  of  good  muskets,  as  well 
as  a  liberal  price,  were  offered ;  but  no,  the  carbine  must  stay  on 
board  the  Flirt ;  and  the  topographical  captain,  failing  to  secure 
the  object  of  his  visit,  went  ashore  disappointed  and  in  a  bad 
humor. 


150  PRISON    OP    WELTEVREDEN. 

After  the  departure  of  the  Dutch  officer,  the  Balinese  pro 
posed  a  visit  to  the  Chinese  quarters ;  he  knew  a  wealthy  China 
man,  who  possessed  one  of  the  improvising  verse  singers  of  the 
country,  a  curiosity  to  hear  and  see ;  they  went,  and  the  circum 
stances  of  this  visit  were  thus  related  on  board  the  Palmer,  on 
the  nineteenth  day  of  her  homeward  voyage  from  Java. 


TWENTIETH  DAY. 

I  WENT  with  the  captain  of  the  barque  in  a  large  tambangan 
manned  by  his  own  lascars,  quick-handed  Buginese  boatmen,  who 
threaded  a  way  with  nimble  skill,  among  the  thronging,  bright- 
polished  proas,  upon  the  Moosie,  and  the  many  canals  of  the 
Chinese  campong.  "We  sped  with  well-plied  dayong,  past  a 
Chinese  josh  with  curving  roof,  beyond  this  beneath  a  high- 
springing  bridge,  like  a  crescent  over  the  water;  then  darting 
under  a  curiously  fashioned  house,  floating  on  two  rafts,  ran  along 
between  these,  beneath  the  house  floor,  till  we  came  to  steps 
which  led  us  at  once  within  the  chief  room. 

A  fat,  smiling,  pleasant-looking  little  man,  with  close-shaved 
shining  skull,  and  long  plaited  queue,  in  sack  of  purple  silk,  and 
white  silk  trowsers  of  Chinese  cut  and  fulness,  met  us  at  the  top 
of  the  steps ;  and  I  was  introduced  to  Teo  Chan  Beng,  one  of  the 
wealthy  men  of  Palembang.  When  seated,  on  fantastic  rattan 
chairs ; — fruits,  sweetmeats,  and  warm  tchoo  were  placed  before 
us.  In  a  little  dainty  pot,  of  the  measure  of  a  cup  of  our  own 
table,  was  tea,  that  filled  the  room  with  fragrance,  when  poured 
into  the  tiny  bowls,  which  Chinamen  poise  on  thumb  and  fore 
finger,  and  tipping  over  to  the  lip,  thus  love  to  quaff  in  dainty 
drops  the  soothing  drink  of  their  country. 

Our  host  spoke  a  few  words  of  the  trading  jargon  of  Canton, 


152  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

and  a  few  Chinafied  English  words;  I  met  none  in  the  East 
who  did  not.  I  had  my  vocabulary  in  hand,  and  with  blunders 
and  pantomime,  I  talked  with  Chan  Beng,  as  I  had  done  with 
Arab  and  Malay, — laughing  and  learning,  as  I  blundered  along. 

The  Balinese  spoke  to  his  friend : — he  smiled,  and  called 
Sedap, — Sedap ;  we  heard  a  shrill,  sweet  voice,  then  a  bound,  and 
in  sprang,  into  the  room,  with  a  panther-like  leap,  a  pretty,  lithe 
young  creature,  a  Malay  girl,  with  soft  skin,  bright  eyes,  and 
limbs,  that  moved  and  played,  and  lifted  her  up  like  wings, 
around  which  a  bright  scarlet  silk  sarong  her  only  dress,  was 
gracefully  folded. 

The  master  stilled  the  bounding  of  the  nymph-like  slave; 
for  after  staying  a  moment,  she  was  about  to  leap  out  again ;  he 
drew  her  gently  towards  him  like  a  father ;  he  spoke  of  me ; 
and  then  my  companion  said  many  things;  she  shook  her  head; 
they  seemed  to  urge,  and  after  a  time,  she  stepped  out  into  an 
open  space,  the  Chinaman  took  up  a  kcchapi, — a  small  guitar, 
and  tuned  forth  a  simple  melody,  which  Sedap  followed  with 
swaying  head,  with  twining  arms,  and  twirling,  fingers ;  and  with 
her  soft  piping  voice. 

When  the  song  had  ceased,  I  spoke  to  her,  asking  her  name, 
age;  the  simple  things,  we  ask  of  a  child.  She  was  called 
Sedap  Malam,  or  Pleasant  Night;  and  she  looked  like  the  soft 
starry  sky  of  her  own  clime ;  she  had  seen  twice  fourteen  mon 
soons,  or  fourteen  years ;  she  came  from  the  Ulu,  far  away,  where 
her  mother  had  sung  pantuns, — the  songs  of  her  country,  before 
her, — Tuan  Beng  was  mother  now,  and  father  too ;  he  was  a  good 
papa,  and  she  sang  for  him  all  the  day. 

And  what  was  my  name  ?  and  much  more  the  emboldened 
nymph  now  asked,  urged  on  by  the  jovial  host,  who  laughed  with 
Sedap  at  the  blunders  I  made.  She  repeated  names,  and  many 


A    MALAY    IMPROVISATRICE. 


153 


English  words,  with  a  justness  of  accent  most  surprising,  which 
I  thought  was  owing  to  a  musical  ear ;  but  I  met  with  many  a 
Malay  afterwards,  who  uttered  the  words  of  our  language,  though 
not  knowing  it,  with  the  utmost  truthfulness  of  tone. 

I  had  heard  of  Malay  minstrels,  pouring  out  pantuns,  made 
as  they  sang.  Sedap  was  of  the  inspired  race,  a  Malay  impro- 
visatrice.  I  asked  her  to  sing  for  me ;  something  never  sang  be 
fore  ;  and  what  about,  said  she ;  some  story  of  Laksamana ;  ah, 
no,  there  was  nothing  new  to  be  said  of  him ;  then  of  herself : 
what  of  the  Fair  Night  ?  its  stars  were  always  the  same ;  then 
choose  yourself ;  yes,  I  will  sing  of  something  new,  of  a  juro 
mudi,  a  captain,  of  kappal  hitam  kecheel,  the  little  black  ship. 
And  then  with  a  monotone,  yet  soft  and  pleasing,  she  sang  these 
words  as  I  then  partly  understood,  and  were  afterwards  more 
fully  explained. 


154  PRISON  OF  WELTEVREDEN. 

THE  PANGLIMA  OF  THE  LONG  BLACK  PRAHU. 

1.  A  black  cloud*  comes  up  the  Moosie  ; 
White  clouds3  are  floating  above ; 
The  bangu4  in  the  swamp, 

Flies  away  with  swift  wing. 

2.  Blue  eyes8  shine  from  the  black  cloud, 
Like  machang"  fierce,  like  kukur7  soft. 
The  moon  fades  away, 

Behind  bukit  Iskander.8 

3.  A  beard  floats  o'er  the  black  cloud  ; 
Brown  like  the  kandidi's9  wing. 
The  hills  of  the  Urn" 

Roll  down  into  the  Moosie. 

4.  A  voice  thunders  from  the  black  cloud ; 
The  white  ones  roll  away.11 

The  coolies  stay  the  daytmg," 
By  the  Moora  Klingie.13 

5.  Tuan  besar14  is  eating  nassee ;  JB 
Blue  eyes  and  brown  beard  by  his  side. 
The  nyonya16  is  eating  her  heart ;  " 
Kasih-an18  the  tuan  besar. 

6.  The  Wolanda19  darkens  his  brow ; 
Merika,20  is  betuah.21 

The  claws  of  the  Alang22  are  strong, 
The  rajah-walie23  has  stronger. 

7.  Who  comes  with  tambangan  of  Bali ; 
Brown  beard  floating  o'er  the  black  cloud. 
Soft,  and  breezy  days, 

Of  musim  tunggara" 

8.  Sedap  Malam  is  eating  her  heart ; 
Blue  eyes  are  shining. 

The  Panglima  of  the  long  black  prahu 
Must  never  go  down  the  Moosie.25  . 


ALEXANDER    THE    GREAT    IN    SUMATRA.  155 

The  songstress  sang  the  last  verse  with  a  mirthful  look,  and 
as  she  uttered  the  last  word,  sprang  with  a  laugh  out  of  the 
room.  You  will  understand  but  little  of  the  spirit  of  the  song 
from  the  words  I  have  just  given ;  but  I  have  endeavored  to 
conform  as  much  as  possible  to  the  original  measure,  in  which  I 
am  aided  by  retaining  many  of  the  Malay  words.  I  will  now 
give  you  a  few  notes  of  explanation  which  will  help  you  to  a 
better  idea  of  the  meaning  of  the  improvised  song. 

I  need  hardly  tell  you  that  the  panglima  and  the  prahu  were 
myself  and  my  schooner';  and  the  black,  and  white  clouds,  her 
hull2  and  sails.3  The  bangu  is  a  large  stork.4  You  will  observe 
in  this  verse,  as  in  the  others,  little  or  no  apparent  connection 
between  the  first  and  second  couplet.  The  great  art  of  the  Malay 
pantun  is  to  conceal  a  certain  subtle  connection  between  the  first 
and  second  part,  which,  as  in  this  case,  is  sometimes  skilfully 
done ;  but  I  must  say,  I  could  never  discover  it  in  many  of  the 
Malay  pantuns  I  have  heard,  which  were  often  unmeaning  and 
absurd. 

It  will  not  be  necessary  to  say,  whose  eyes  were  compli 
mented,  as  shining  from  the  cloud;  like  a  tiger0  fierce,  and  a  tur 
tle  dove,7  soft.  The  Bukit  Iskander,  or  Hill  of  Alexander,8  is 
a  hill  about  three  miles  north-east  of  the  town  of  Palembang, 
upon  which  there  is  a  stone  shrine,  surrounded  by  a  thick  grove, 
which  is  filled  with  apes  and  tupei  or  squirrels,  who  feed  on 
offerings  of  fruits  and  nuts  brought  to  the  shrine  by  superstitious 
Malays.  « 

This  hill  is  but  one  among  a  great  number  of  places  in  Su 
matra  which  are  named  after  the  Grecian  conqueror  of  India. 
Frequent  mention  is  made  in  Malay  history,  traditions,  and  po 
etry,  of  Alexander  the  Great, — of  ZiCl  karnain,  the  two-horned, 
as  he  is  called  in  the  East.  It  is  said  that  he  crossed  the  Straits 


156  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

of  Malacca,  and  performed  many  wonderful  exploits  in  Sumatra. 
All  noted  places  of  doubtful  origin,  are  associated  with  the  name 
of  Iskander ;  the  same  as  in  Mexico,  where  all  remarkable  places, 
whose  true  history  is  not  known,  are  honored  with  the  name  of 
Montezuma.  It  is  stated  in  the  chronicles  of  the  old  empire  of 
Menangkabau  that  a  Malay  princess,  Sindang  Beedok,  married  a 
descendant  of  Alexander,  called  Patee  ;  and  all  the  early  Sul 
tans  of  Palembaug  prefixed  Iskander  to  their  other  names.  Of 
course,  the  presence  of  Alexander  in  Sumatra  must  be  regarded 
as  fabulous. 

But  id  there  not  a  possibility,  said  the  elder  missionary,  in 
terrupting  the  narrator,  that  Nearchus,  the  admiral  of  Alexan 
der,  who  sailed  into  the  Indian  Ocean,  and  touched  at  Serendib  or 
Ceylon,  also  touched  upon  Sumatra,  and  left  those  traditions  of 
the  conqueror ;  or  that  probably  some  of  his  galleys  were  blown 
by  the  Etesian  winds,  as  the  Greek  admiral  called  the  monsoons, 
upon  the  Golden  Chersonesus,  a  name  by  which  Sumatra  was 
known  to  the  ancients  ? 

The  commander  did  not  suppose  that  any  Greek  galley  ever 
got  half  the  way  from  the  mouth  of  the  Indus  to  Sumatra.  He 
supposed  that  the  stories  about  Alexander  in  the  Archipelago, 
were  entirely  Hindoo  traditions.  A  large  portion  of  the  litera 
ture  of  the  Malays,  were  translations  from  the  Hindoo. 

But,  said  he,  I  am  wandering  from  the  song.  The  improvis- 
atrice  speaks  of  a  kandidi,  a  kind  of  snipe9  which  I  found  ex 
ceedingly  fat  and  plentiful  at  Palembang,  and  then  of  the  Ulu,  or 
up-country,10  which  tarnishes  the  waters  of  the  Moosie  with  its 
brown  soil,  during  the  wet  monsoon.  The  white  clouds  roll 
away,  the  sails  are  furled;11  and  the  schooner  comes  to  anchor; 
as  when  the  paddle  blade,12  broadside  to  the  stream,  checks  the 
boats,  at  the  trading  head-quarters  on  the  Klingie. 


CHINESE    LETTER    OF    INTRODUCTION.  157 

The  "great  man,"14  as  all  residents  arc  called,  is  eating  rice.18 
By  the  way,  rice  claims  three  names  among  the  Malays ;  pahdee, 
when  rough;  berass,  when  cleaned;  and  nassee,  when  cooked. 
And  as  rice  is  the  chief  food  with  them ;  so  to  take  nassee,  is 
equivalent  to  taking  soup  with  us,  that  is  to  say,  dinner.  The 
lady  of  the  great  man,  the  nyonya,  as  a  married  woman10  is 
called,  is  eating  her  heart, — in  love™  and  pity  on18  the  husband. 
The  allusion  to  such  speedy  conquests,  are  but  the  common  com 
pliments  of  the  Malay  language. 

The  Dutchman19  of  course  is  angry;  but  America20  is  not 
afraid,  he  is  invulnerable  ;21  and  if  the  hawk"  has  strong  claws, 
the  eagle23  has  stronger.  The  presence  of  the  stranger  that  ar 
rived  at  the  house  of  Chan  Beng,  was  pleasant  like  the  delightful 
days  of  the  south  east  monsoon,24  and  Sedap  Malam  is  in  love 
too,  like  the  nyonya,  with  the  captain  of  the  long  black  ship,  who 
must  stay  for  ever  at  Palembang.25 

My  interpreting  companion  informed  me,  that  his  friend  Beng 
had  bought  the  girl,  when  a  child,  a  helpless  orphan,  from  a  mer 
cenary  relative  into  whose  hands  she  had  fallen.  At  the  age  of 
eight  she  showed  a  taste  for  song,  and  verse ;  and  when  twelve 
years  pf  age,  she  had  become  so  much  noted,  that  several  pan- 
yorangs,  Arab,  and  Malay,  had  offered  large  sums  for  her;  but 
Teo  Chan  Beng  was  rich,  he  loved  Sedap  Malam  as  his  own 
child,  was  careful  and  watchful  over  her  like  a  father,  for  she  is 
not  like  the  common  pantun  singers  and  dancers  of  the  country, 
of  doubtful  character ;  he  had  a  merry,  honest,  good  heart  en 
tirely  unlike  nearly  all  his  gross  countrymen  ;  and  would  not  lis 
ten  to  the  offer  of  the  sultanate  of  Palembang,  in  exchange  for 
his  rare  singing  bird. 

I  spoke  of  a  letter  I  had  for  one  Oey  Soch  Tchay,  whom  3 
had  not  yet  been  able  to  find.  My  host  knew  him ;  and  in  half 


158  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

an  hour  I  was  face  to  face,  with  a  dark,  pockmarked,  very  fat, 
and  very  merry  Chinaman;  and  this  was  Soch  Tchay.  He  was 
accompanied  by  a  young  friend  called  Pood  Djang. 

The  letter  of  Lim  Boo  Seng,  which  I  had  carried  about  me, 
was  now  brought  forth  ;  and  three  bare  necks  with  glossy  heads 
and  oblique  eyes  were  craned  over  the  long  columns  of  tea  chest 
marks;  whilst  various  sounds,  short  bell-like  grunts, — chah — 
hey — wong, — mixed  with  smiles  and  nods  at  me,  showed  that 
friend  Lim  Boo  Seng  had  spoken  like  a  cordial,  good  reference 
in  his  letter  of  introduction. 

My  new  Chinese  friends  were  urgent  that  I  should  visit  their 
own  rakit,  and  after  a  cordial  shake  of  the  hand  and  assurance 
of  welcome  at  all  times  from  Teo  Chan  Beng,  I  was  again  thread 
ing  a  way  along  the  canals  and  among  the  floating  houses  on  the 
western  side  of  the  Moosie. 

Oey  Soch  Tchay  lived  in  a  huge  ark,  sixty  feet  long  and 
thirty  wide,  afloat  in  a  rapid  and  eddying  part  of  the  stream;  it 
was  made  fast  with  bamboo  cables  to  bamboo  piles,  driven  into 
the  shoal  water,  a  short  way  off  from  the  main  channel ;  whilst 
the  end  of  the  dwelling,  that  lay  river-ward,  rose  and  fell  like  a 
steamboat  ferry  bridge,  when  moved  by  the  swelling  or  sinking 
waters. 

The  raft  foundation  on  which  it  floated,  was  like  an  open 
logged  pen.  Around  and  within  this  pen,  in  the  water  beneath 
the  house  and  outside,  were  to  be  seen  a  crowd  of  light  yellow  and 
dark  brown  bodies,  plunging  and  splashing,  thrusting  arms  be 
tween  the  open  bamboos,  clambering  upon  them  ladder-like,  and 
then  leaping  back  into  the  stream  that  rushed  beneath  the  rakit. 
This  was  the  afternoon  hour,  when  men  and  boys  thus  publicly 
bathed  in  Palenibang's  Broadway. 


Oey  Soch  Tchay  was  wishful  to  show  me  his  large  junk, 
which  made  sea  voyages ;  and  I  learned  that  his  countrymen  at 
Palembang  owned  eleven  square-rigged,  European-built  ships, 
barques,  and  schooners,  besides  a  great  many  junks  and  prahus. 
He  sent  cargoes  of  rattans,  also  tiles,  which  are  well  made  near 
this  town ;  also  benzoin,  damar,  pepper,  and  other  merchandise, 
to  Singapore  and  Batavia. 

•  He  had  plentiful  stores  to  supply  me,  as  Lim  Boo  Seng  had 
said,  and  all  needful  things  of  provision,  cheap  and  good.  You 
will  not  care,  at  this  time,  to  listen  to  lists  of  prices,  and  other 
minute  particulars  of  trade ;  but  it  may  not  be  dull  matter  to  tell, 
that  I  could  get  a  hundredweight  of  rice  for  sixty  cents,  four 
teen  fat  fowls  for  a  dollar,  plump  snipes  and  very  plentiful,  at 
five  Dutch  doits,  or  one  cent  and  a  half  a-piece ;  large  yams,  one 
hundred  for  two  reals;  and  fruits — mangosteens,  mangos,  doo- 


160  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

koos,  rambutans,  and  durians,  for  almost  nothing, — a  few  coppers 
for  the  supply  of  my  ship  for  a  day. 

Whilst  I  talked,  with  a  group  of  curious  and  good-humored 
Chinamen  around  me,  who  are  by  no  means  the  dull  animals  at 
home  they  seem  abroad ; — of  a  sudden,  we  heard  a  floundering 
in  the  water, — screams,  shouts,  and  the  cry  of  buayai  buaya!  I 
saw  affrighted  yellow  skins  clinging  to  the  bamboos,  then  I  saw  a 
movement  and  whirl  in  the  water  stained  with  blood,  at  a  point 
at  which  the  scared  bathers  were  gazing  ;  then  a  bubble  and 
plunge,  and  up  rose  a  yellow  body  with  a  torn  and  bleeding  leg, 
and  making  weakly  arm  strokes  to  reach  the  rakit's  side. 

The  wounded  bather,  a  Chinese  youth,  about  fifteen  years  of 
age,  was  brought  into  the  verandah  of  Soch  Tchay.  He  had  been 
seized  by  a  large  buaya  or  Sumatran  alligator,  which  are  very 
dangerous  to  natives,  on  all  rivers,  creeks,  and  lakes  of  the  island, 
and  in  among  the  canals  of  the  town  of  Palembang ;  yet  rarely, 
as  in  this  case,  venturing  to  disturb  a  party  of  bathers.  They 
said  he  had  tasted  of  man  before ;  and,  like  the  tiger  who  had 
once  feasted  on  human  flesh,  ever  afterwards  made  more  desperate 
efforts  than  usual  to  taste  again  this  new  and  delicate  relish,  so 
much  superior  to  fishes,  snakes,  monkeys,  and  water-birds,  their 
usual  food. 

The  youth  was  fearfully  torn  from  the  hip  to  the  knee.  Being 
strong  and  active,  he  had  struggled  hard,  and  loosened  the  hold  of 
the  monster's  jaw,  which  however  had  gripped  again,  at  each 
loosening  jerk,  and  at  last  had  only  let  go,  when  a  tambangan's 
prow  was  launched  for  the  rescue  of  the  struggling  victim.  The 
wounded  limb  was  swathed  in  wetted  cloths,  as  I  had  observed  at 
the  hospital  of  Minto ;  and  I  was  told  that  the  mangled  flesh  I  had 
seen,  torn  to  the  bone,  would  be  well  and  sound  in  two  or  three 
weeks 


DINNER  ON  BOARD  THE  FLIRT. 


161 


I  took  kimlo,  tchoo,  and  tea,  with  Oey  Soch  Tchay,  and  his 
friend,  Pood  Djang,  and  passed  a  pleasant  and  entertaining  even 
ing  with  my  Chinese  friends. 

DINNER    ON    BOARD    THE    FLIRT    AT    PALEMBANG. 

According  to  invitation,  the  Resident  of  Palembang  came  to 
dine  on  board  the  Flirt.  He  was  accompanied  by  the  Assistant 
Resident,  the  Shahbandar,  the  commander  of  the  brig  of  war,  the 
Chief  of  Commissariat,  Major  Commandant,  and  other  officers 
of  the  garrison. 

The  schooner  was  dressed  very  handsomely  for  the  occasion. 
A  profusion  of  flags,  red,  yellow,  and  tricolored,  borrowed  from 
Dutchmen,  Arabs  and  Chinamen,  were  strung  from  jib-boom  to 
maintop,  whilst  the  stars  and  stripes  floated  from  the  flag-staff 
astern. 

The  white  pine  main  and  quarter  deck,  was  holystoned,  and 
made  clean  and  shining '  like  a  housewife's  cake  board ;  the 
shrouds  newly  set  up  and  tarred ;  the  bulwarks  fresh  painted ; 
the  brass  mountings  of  binnacle,  and  companion  way  hatch,  and 
the  fancy  woods  of  tiller,  rail,  and  skylights,  all  rubbed  and 
scoured  to  their  highest  polish  and  lustre. 

But  the  cabin  was  a  work  of  art,  an  ocean  boudoir,  rarely 
seen.  When  on  the  coast  of  Brazil,  that  land  of  rare  woods,  the 
commander  had  shipped  a  lot  of  mahogany,  amarilla,  and  other 
finely  grained,  and  fine-colored  timber  for  decoration ;  also  a  roll 
of  rich  scarlet  brocatelle,  received  as  a  present  for  the  remnant  of 
ice : — and  during  the  many  days  passed  on  the  Atlantic,  and  the  In 
dian  Ocean,  the  taste  and  fancy  of  the  commander  and  the  skill  of 
a  Portuguese  carpenter,  a  choice  cabinet  workman,  were  busy  in 
beautifying  that  cabin. 


162  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

The  state-room,  and  ward-room  of  the  old  man-of-war,  now 
made  a  saloon  of  elegant  space.  The  bulkhead,  berth  stanchions, 
and  sides,  were  elaborately  wrought  in  woods  of  various  hues,  and 
with  tasteful  scroll-work  and  devices.  The  scarlet  brocatclle 
hung  in  heavy  valence  folds  around  the  saloon,  and  was  drawn 
up  at  the  berths  by  silken  tassels  and  cords : — brocatelle  covered 
cushions  lay  on  the  transom ;  and  the  flowered  silken  drapery 
hung  in  rich  folds  around  mirrors  and  pictures,  that  completed 
the  decoration  of  the  cabin  of  the  Flirt. 

This  ornament  and  beauty  of  the  vessel  has  been  dwelt  upon, 
on  account  of  its  having  been  a  cause  of  such  a  crowding  of 
visitors  to  admire  it,  and  had  much  to  do  with  the  after  fate  of 
the  commander  and  crew. 

The  Resident  and  his  officers  examined  the  vessel  with  critical 
look.  The  naval  commander  pointed  out  her  strength  as  a  bat 
tery,  and  said  that  such  a  craft  was  never  meant  to  sail  without 
guns.  The  host  then  led  his  company  into  the  hold ;  it  was  a 
great  empty  space,  except  a  few  tons  of  iron  lying  along  the  kel 
son.  The  naval  commander  pried  about  in  the  forecastle,  and 
under  the  run  of  the  cabin,  but  nothing  of  what  he  sought  was  to 
be  seen ;  yet,  still  he  searched  with  eager  eyes,  and  struck  about 
with  his  cane  as  though  he  hoped  to  find  some  pistols  and  bowie 
knives  stowed  away  in  the  hollow  timbers. 

Whilst  at  dinner,  the  Resident  was  lavish  in  praise  of  the  trim 
and  decoration  of  the  schooner.  He  had  often  heard  how  Ameri 
cans  loved  to  beautify  their  ocean  homes,  and  make  of  them  float 
ing  palaces ;  and  now  his  conception  was  more  than  realized  by 
the  tasteful  beauty  of  the  Flirt.  He  wished  that  his  countrymen 
would  trim  their  broad  bowed  galliots  into  somewhat  more  elegant 
shape ;  and  po.y  some  attention  to  decorative  naval  architecture. 

The  commander  of  the  guard  ship  said,  that  the  broad-bowed 


AMERICAN    CLIPPERS    AND    DUTCH    GALLIOTS.  163 

galliots  were  typical  of  the  square  and  sturdy  character  of  their 
makers ;  whilst  the  American  clippers,  and  these  words  he  said 
in  English,  with  a  coarse  leer  on  his  face,  owed  perhaps  "  their 
sharpness  to  sharpers." 

The  idea  of  Dutch  grossness  is  commonly  associated  with 
their  fleshly  build;  their  breadth  of  beam,  their  heavy  chops, 
and  protuberance  of  paunch : — the  people  of  Holland  have  been 
usually  pictured,  as  gross  built,  smoking,  sleeping  burgomasters ; 
but  this  is  rarely  true  of  the  outward  man,  the  grossness  is 
within.  These  officers  on  board  the  Flirt,  were  all  of  short  or 
slender  make,  and  had  all  the  outward  seeming  of  gentlemanly 
propriety  of  person ;  but  their  first  acts  after  greeting  the  host, 
were  to  feel  the  stuffing  of  the  cushions,  to  examine  the  curtains, 
to  scrutinize  the  table-cloth ;  and  finally  to  examine  the  quality 
and  ask  the  price  of  every  article  that  he  wore. 

But  none  carried  this  display  of  vulgar  and  offensive  curios 
ity  so  far  as  the  naval  commander:  his  prying  and  insulting 
search  of  a  vessel,  on  board  of  which  he  came  as  a  guest,  was  not 
noticed ;  nor  some  insulting  allusions  to  his  host ; — but  when  he 
made  the  insulting  remark  about  the  countrymen  of  him  who 
had  invited  him,  he  lost  the  privilege  and  forbearance  due  to  a 
guest : — he  was  met  as  he  had  been  met  before,  and  thus  was 
harmony  once  more  broken  up  by  this  man  ;  and  his  taunting 
demeanor  was  shown  on  other  occasions,  until  at  last,  he  had  an 
opportunity  of  gratifying  his  malignant  hatred  of  every  thing 
American  by  trampling  upon  an  American  flag. 

After  the  visit  of  the  Resident,  the  commander  moved  his  ves 
sel  higher  up  the  river,  near  where  the  Ogan,  a  deep  bold  stream, 
pours  into  the  Moosie.  Great  numbers  of  the  men  of  note  among 
the  Malays  of  the  interior,  who  had  before  feared  to  pass  the 
fort,  came  to  visit  the  schooner.  She  was  surrounded  at  times 


164  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

with  a  fleet  of  tambangans,  penchalangs,  and  small  river  craft  of 
all  kinds  ;  whilst  her  decks  were  covered,  and  her  cabin  filled  with 
curious  natives. 

Men  of  all  ranks,  and  representatives  from  all  parts  of  the 
territory  of  Palembang,  and  even  of  Sumatra,  came  to  see  the 
beautiful  American  ship ;  and  her  commander  talked  with  Pan- 
yorangs,  Demangs,  Tumungungs  and  other  chieftains  of  the 
country, — with  men  from  Jambee,  Siak,  Indraghiri,  and  with 
some  of  the  warlike  Passumese.  Every  day  of  his  stay  at  Palem* 
bang  was  crowded  with  novelty  and  incident,  among  a  strange, 
curious  and  interesting  oriental  people.  A  narrative  of  the  ob 
servations  made,  the  conversations  held,  notes  of  which  being 
most  industriously  taken,  would  embrace  much,  not  only  of  the 
history,  art,  trade,  manners,  customs,  and  riches  of  the  territory 
of  Palembang,  but  of  the  island  of  Sumatra.  But  this  book  is  to 
be  confined  chiefly  to  those  incidents  of  personal  adventure  related 
on  board  the  Palmer,  which  aiford  a  glance  at  the  East  Indian 
Archipelago.  One  of  these  incidents,  a  visit  to  a  Malay  chieftain, 
some  of  whose  friends  had  been  entertained  on  board  the  Flirt, 
was  thus  related  on  board  the  Palmer. 


TWENTY-FIRST  DAY. 

ACCORDING  to  the  word  of  a  messenger,  the  day  before,  a  ram 
bayah,  or  long  covered  barge,  came  to  bear  me  to  the  house  of  the 
chieftain,  who  had  sent  me  some  presents  of  varnished  ware  and  a 
message  of  strong  desire  to  see  me. 

Twelve  young  men  plied  the  propellers,  half  paddle,  half  oar  of 
the  rambayah.  The  song  of  the  steersman  with  long  dayong  in 
hand,  followed  by  the  chorus  of  the  coolies,  with  their  dipping 
blades,  fell  with  a  pleasant  charm  upon  my  ears,  surrounded  by 
Sumatran  forests,  and  gliding  over  Sumatran  waters.  On  the  left 
bank  of  the  Moosie,  we  entered  a  narrow  creek,  bordered  by  a  dense 
wall  of  festooned  and  matted  foliage  that  rose  up  from  the  water's 
brink  some  fifty  feet  on  either  side.  The  cocoanut,  banana,  and 
mango,  spread  their  limbs  in  shade  overhead  and  dropped  their 
fruit  in  the  stream.  The  thick,  dropping  bounty,  the  clustering 
bouquet  of  beauty ;  the  lavish  waste  of  thrilling  aroma ;  and  the 
babel  concert  of  birds,  mingled  with  the  song  of  the  rambayah 
men,  pressed  upon  every  sense,  and  prepared  me  with  enthusiasm 
to  meet  the  Malay  lord  of  this  jungle  beauty  and  profusion. 

On  a  little  bamboo  jetty,  I  beheld  a  group  of  many  colored 
silken  robes,  and  large  sunshades ;  and  when  I  could  discern  the 
forms  and  faces  of  those  they  robed  and  shaded,  I  singled  out  a 
chief-like  form, — a  stately  old  man, — with  mild  and  venerable 
expression  on  his  light  bronze  face.  He  bowed  low,  when  I  stood 


166  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

before  him,  took  my  right  hand  between  both  of  his,  called  me 
his  son,  most  welcome  to  his  house,  and  thus  was  I  received  by 
Panyoraug  Osinan  Laksana. 

A  large  company  surrounded  the  Panyorang ;  young  men  of 
his  family,  some  men  wielding  lances,  and  a  number  of  coolies ; 
one  bearing  a  huge  payung,  walked  with  his  broad  shade,  close 
behind  the  chieftain  and  myself,  as  we  moved,  side  by  side,  to 
wards  his  house. 

We  came  in  sight  of  a  group  of  low  buildings ;  some  plaster 
and  bamboo  villas,  surrounding  a  central  court,  and  forming  a 
Malayan  serai.  There  were  some  novel  sights  to  me  of  atap 
roofs,  of  verandahs  strung  thick  with  lamps,  and  other  features 
of  a  rich  Sumatran  abode ;  but  one  thing  chiefly  fixed  my  gaze, 
— something  that  had  been  dimly  seen  from  the  water ;  a  lofty 
pole,  a  clean  cocoa  tree  trunk  stripped  of  its  broad  leafed  tuft ; 
there  on  the  top  of  this  mast  reared  up  by  nature,  floated  the 
flag  of  America. 

The  Panyorang  looked  with  mirthful  pleasure  at  my  surprise. 
I  was  curious  to  know  where  it  came  from,  and  ventured  many 
surmises ;  but  the  Panyorang  said,  that  cloth  of  silk  and  cotton, 
and  of  all  colors,  was  plenty  in  his  country ;  and  skilful  hands 
were  not  wanting  to  fashion  it  into  curious  flags,  as  well  as  hand 
some  robes.  Thus  I  beheld,  and  I  doubt  not,  for  the  first  time 
beheld  by  any  one,  an  American  ensign,  made  by  Malay  hands 
unfurled  upon  Sumatran  soil. 

As  I  entered  the  main  dwelling,  a  salute  was  fired  from  some 
small  brass  pieces  called  lelahs,  which  have  flaring  mouths,  like 
blunderbusses.  The  Panyorang  said  that  Sumatra  gave  selamat 
sampeh,  the  welcome  to  America. 

I  found,  as  in  the  house  of  the  Arab  Panyorang,  a  succession 
of  floors,  ascending  from  the  verandah  floor  in  front.  On  the  inner 


THE    VOCABULARY.  167 

and  upper  one,  he  seated  me,  and  then  himself  upon  a  silk  covered 
settee ;  the  young  men  and  lance  bearing  followers,  sat  upon  mats, 
a  step  below  us ;  whilst  the  coolies  crouched  down,  with  their 
beads  between  their  knees,  on  the  bare  verandah  floor. 

The  walls  of  the  inner  room  were  adorned  with  inlaid  arabesque 
work,  and  showed  a  rich  lacquered  surface.  The  bountiful  gums 
of  the  island,  are  skilfully  applied  to  dwelling  walls,  to  water  skiffs, 
to  wardrobes,  and  vessels  for  food  of  all  kinds.  They  are  covered 
with  curious  devices,  and  the  lacquer  applied  with  heat,  has  a  fine 
porcelain  surface,  long  resisting  weather  and  water,  and  glisten 
ing  with  metallic  lustre,  as  did  the  chamber  walls  of  this  Suma 
tran  dwelling. 

The  Panyorang  was  curious  to  have  me  explain  the  use  of  the 
vocabulary  in  my  hand.  I  showed  him  the  alphabetic  arrange 
ment  ;  the  a,  b,  c,  corresponding  with  the  ailf,  ba,  ta,  of  Arabs 
and  Malays.  He  pointed  out  various  common  objects,  which  I 
happened  to  have  noted  down ;  and  referring  to  the  letter,  read 
out  to  him  the  Malay  word ;  and  other  things  he  pointed  out,  the 
name  of  which  I  had  not ;  and  then  he  repeated  it,  and  I  wrote 
it  down ;  the  old  chieftain  looking  on  with  curious  eyes,  as  I  in 
scribed  the  words  he  said. 

An  hour  and  more  he  spent,  with  eager  relish,  in  teaching  me. 
Then  he  repeated  the  names  and  ages  of  all  his  people  present, 
and  seemed  wishful  that  I  should  have  a  record  of  them.  He 
called,  and  a  young  man  approached,  crouching  low,  with  a  reed, 
ink,  and  some  Chinese  rice  paper ;  and  as  the  Panyorang  repeated 
the  names  of  persons,  the  young  man  wrote  them  in  Arabic  letters 
alongside  of  my  own  writing. 

My  name  was  written  in  various  ways,  with  the  peculiar  titles 
of  the  country  prefixed  to  various  portions.  Besides  names  of 
persons,  the  names  of  places  were  spoken  of, — towns  and  territo- 


168 


PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 


ries  in  America.  The  Panyorang  was  wishful  to  know  if  it  was  as 
large  as  Holland. 

I  took  a  large  piece  of  paper,  and  with  a  reed  traced  a  rude 
outline  of  the  globe  in  hemispheres ;  and  as  I  marked  out  the 
continents  and  countries,  the  young  man,  ihejuro-tulis,  or  scribe, 
as  he  was  called,  wrote  in  Malay  the  names  of  the  places  I  had 
traced.  Beginning  with  Sumatra,  and  the  other  large  islands  of 
the  Eastern  seas,  I  went  on,  mapping  the  countries  of  Asia,  and 
Africa ;  and  then  Europe,  the  land,  I  said,  of  the  English,  Por 
tuguese,  Spanish  and  Dutch ;  then  after  pointing  out  the  Atlantic 
space  of  ocean,  I  drew  the  outline  of  the  western  continent ;  and 
showed  the  Panyorang  how  great  was  America. 

After  tracing  the  outlines  of  portions  of  the  world,  as  far  as 
the  curiosity  of  the  Panyorang  extended,  I  presented  to  him, 
this  rude  draft  of  a  map.  He  received  it  with  a  look  of  much 
pleasure :  he  called  to  some  one  in  an  inner  room,  and  an  aged 
woman  appeared.  This  was  Nemastiapa,  his  wife ;  she  held  a 


A    SACRED    SUMATRAN    KRISS.  169 

kriss  in  her  hand,  which  the  old  chief  took  from  her  and  presented 
to  me.  He  said  that  no  man  could  hurt  me  whilst  I  wore  it  5  the 
point  of  a  hostile  kriss  would  be  blunted  against  me ;  this  one 
had  been  made  of  besi  malela,  of  hardest  steel,  by  a  cunning  hadjy 
in  the  sacred  city  of  Menangkabau.  I  heard  afterwards  that 
some  krisses  acquired  such  a  reputation  on  account  of  some  lucky 
escape  from  death  of  the  owner,  attributed  to  the  influence  of  the 
kriss,  that  they  were  frequently  valued  at  two  and  three  thousand 
rupees. 

A  repast  was  served  up,  in  dishes  of  finest  wood  richly  lac 
quered.  Rice  and  birds  were  the  staple  of  the  meal, — the  flesh 
stewed  in  cocoanut  milk,  and  the  rasped  nut  mingled  with  rice, 
both  sweet  and  salt  seasoned.  There  were  savory  dishes  of  beans 
and  bamboo  pith ;  and  fruits  were  served  before  me,  the  mangos- 
teen,  the  nannas,  and  manga  minyala,  in  their  natural  state  as  I 
thought ;  but  when  I  took  them  by  their  stem,  they  came  apart ; 
and  I  found  their  substance  finely  jellied,  and  re-enclosed  within 
the  original  rind.  .  «, 

As  we  eat,  I  heard  a  rude,  though  pleasantly  plaintive  music. 
A  troop  of  matronly  women  appeared,  with  Nemastiapa  at  their 
head ;  they  all  sat  down  on  mats  behind  the  Panyorang ;  they 
were  followed  by  three  young  girls,  who  placed  themselves  on  the 
floor,  a  step  below  us.  These  wore  a  scarlet  sarong  or  skirt,  held 
in  its  fold  and  position  by  a  silver  girdle,,  curiously  made  of  many 
joints,  called  a  tali  pendeng  ;  the  arms  and  bust  were  bare,  except 
the  partial  covering  of  wreaths  of  white  odorous  flowers,  the 
fragrant  kumbang  melati,  or  flower  of  love,  which  were  twined  in 
rich  clusters,  among  plaits  of  their  glossy,  jewel-bedecked  hair ; 
and  these  were  menyanyee,  the  singing  girls  of  the  country. 

They  stood  forth  in  postures,  their  flexible  arms  doubling 
backward  almost  as  far  as  forward ;  and  their  fingers,  tipped  with 


170  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

curved  silver  points,  played  with  fantastic  motion ;  and  thus 
without  any  movement  of  feet,  except,  from  time  to  time,  a  change 
of  position,  they  swayed  their  bodies,  they  twined  their  arms,  and 
twirled  their  fingers  in  all  the  mazes  of  the  Sumatran  ronggeng 
dance. 

This  posturing  was  accompanied  by  the  kechapi,  and  the 
karonchong,  a  gingle  of  small  bells ;  and  after  a  while  the  voices 
of  the  girls,  chanting  songs  of  love  and  war,  kept  time  with  the 
mazy  play  of  their  limbs.  The  voices  sounded  shrill  and  sharp, 
the  usual  tone  of  these  singing  girls  of  the  Malays ;  and  not  soft 
and  tuneful  like  the  notes  of  Seedap  Malam,  who  gave  forth  a 
melody  I  heard  nowhere  else  in  the  East. 

Two  men  stepped  forward,  their  heads  covered  with  a  yellow 
cloth,  that  hung  down  like  a  veil.  They  joined  in  song  with  the 
girls ;  they  all  took  parts  in  some  story  of  warriors,  evil  genii,  or 
djins,  and  princesses ;  a  palawan,  or  hero  loved ;  and  a  tuanputroe, 
a  royal  Malay  lady  was  won ;  a  magician  scowled  upon  the  happy 
state ;  by  evil  spells  he  seized  and  bore  away,  through  air,  tho 
hapless  lady;  the  hero  finds  a  widadiri  (or  bidiyadiri),  a  Malay 
wood  nymph ;  he  obtains  a  charm,  regains  the  beauteous  putree, 
and  thus  the  wayang,  or  Sumatran  opera  is  performed. 

"When  the  play  and  song  had  ceased,  I  took  some  money  to 
present  to  the  girls,  having  heard  from  my  Bali  friend,  that  it 
was  expected  of  guests  to  pay  for  all  such  entertainment,  by  gifts 
to  these  wandering  minstrel  performers;  but  the  Panyor'ang, 
observing  the  movement  of  my  hand,  motioned  with  earnest  and 
dignified  expression  of  face,  to  put  back  my  gift.  He  had  invited 
his  son  as  a  friend.  lie  was  not  an  Arab,  or  Chinese  trader. 

Whilst  we  sipped  tea,  and  eat  of  manisan^  various  sweetmeats, 
at  the  close  of  the  repast,  the  young  man,  the  juro  tulis,  took  the 
place  of  the  ronggengs,  and  sat  down  crosslegged  upon  a  mat, 


CHRONICLES  AND  MYTHOLOGY  OF  SUMATRA.        171 

with  a  manuscript  in  his  hand,  from  which  he  read  with  a  drawling 
monotone,  yet  a  somewhat  pleasing  sound.  He  read  of  ancient 
wars,  heroes  and  princesses ;  of  which  I  understood  but  little 
then ;  but  afterwards  learned  that  it  was  concerning  the  Javanese 
conquest  of  Palembang. 

Browijoyo,  one  of  the  most  powerful  Sultans  of  the  great 
Empire  of  Madjapahit  in  Java,  made  war  upon  the  people  of 
Palembang  and  conquered  them  ;  and  his  son  Aria  Damar  became 
Sultan  of  the  country.  One  of  his  race  married  Patee,  the  de 
scendant  of  Alexander  and  of  an  Indian  princess,  who  had  gone 
in  quest  of  the  conqueror  to  ask  the  honor  of  being  the  mother 
of  a  race  of  heroes ;  these  were  Patee  and  his  descendants  down 
to  Badr  Oodin,  and  many  princes  and  princesses,  who  now  wan 
dered  in  the  Ulu ;  but  a  day  of  deliverance  was  near,  a  Secunder 
Zulkaram ;  some  tradition  promised  hero  was  coming,  the  Wolanda 
would  be  driven  out,  the  royal  race  would  return  to  the  astana 
malaghay ,  the  palace  of  their  forefathers,  and  the  blood  of 
Iskander  and  Browijoyo  would  sit  enthroned  once  more  by  the 
waters  of  the  Moosie. 

Then  the  juro  tulis  recited  some  verse  in  a  quicker,  more  song 
like  tone.  His  story  was  about  rakshashas,  or  huge,  hairy  giants; 
of  wicked  djins;  and  of  dewi  and  ividadiri,  the  lovely  forest  and 
mountain  nymphs  of  the  beautiful  olden  Malay  mythology,  which, 
like  the  Greek,  peopled  the  streams,  and  caves  and  tree-tops  with 
young  virgin  forms,  who  faithfully  watched  over  mankind  to 
defend  them  from  the  foul  spirits  of  the  sea  and  air. 

The  juro  tulis  told  of  a  rajah,  Chindeh  Balang,  a  prince  of  the 
Passumah,  who  had  three  daughters :  Sareena,  gracious  ;  Chayah, 
light ;  and  Seenee,  delicate  limbed ;  who  were  married  to  three 
Panyorangs  of  hideous  form  and  evil  mind,  called  Kandung,  hump 
backed;  Berbulu,  hairy;  and  Binchee,  the  hateful;  whom  the 


172 


PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEX. 


father  dared  not  to  refuse,  by  reason  of  their  power  and  ferocity. 
The  good  rajah  died,  and  his  sons-in-law  went  to  war,  the  one  with 
the  other,  in  dividing  the  lands  and  the  people  of  Chindeh  Balang ; 
and  after  a  time,  these  wicked  princes  called  in  the  aid  of  some 
hideous  djins  of  the  sea  to  whom  each  one  promised  the  gold, 
cinnamon  and  other  precious  things  of  the  country,  if  they  might 
have  the  strongest  youths  and  fairest  maidens  of  the  Passumah. 

These  djins  came  and  took  the  gold  and  cinnamon  and  other 
precious  things ;  and  made  slaves  of  all  the  people  themselves ; 
and  the  evil  Panyorangs  too,  who  were  shut  up  in  iron  cages  and 
sent  across  the  sea  to  Ternate.  The  sea  djins  drove  far  away  all 
of  the  race  of  Chindeh  Balang,  and  said ;  our  rajah  shall  be  rajah 
instead ;  but  the  people  of  the  Passumah  loved  the  memory  of 
Chindeh  Balang,  they  groaned  under  the  rod  of  the  sea  devils,  and 
they  fled  to  the  cave  of  the  Bukit  Dempoh  for  a  refuge. 

A  widadiri,  resplendent  as  din'ari,  and  softly  lovely  as  silam 
(the  morning  and  evening  twilight),  appeared  before  the  people  of 
the  Passumah,  upon  a  white  elephant,  bearing  a  beautiful  child  in 
her  arms,  which  she  said  was  the  daughter  of  the  princess  Retna 
Komala,  the  Precious  Gem  of  the  Redjang  Tinga  (a  district  on 
the  head  waters  of  the  Moosie),  and  of  a  long-lost  son  of  Rajah 
Chindeh  Balang.  Its  life  had  been  sought  by  the  three  bad 
Panyorangs ;  but  the  princess  had  confided  her  daughter  to  an  old 
woman,  a  dukun,  who  lived  at  the  foot  of  Pemalang  Kambing, 
where  the  widadiri  had  watched  the  growth  of  the  child ;  and  she 
now  brought  jier  to  strengthen  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  the 
Passumah  Ulu  Manna ;  and  that  they  might  now  take  charge  of 
their  rightful  sovereign,  Zaydee  Komala,  the  Flawless  Gem. 

This  grand-daughter  of  Chindeh  Balang  grew  up  more  lovely 
than  all  the  virgins  of  the  Passumah ;  and  the  people  watched  over 
her  in  the  Ulu  that  she  might  not  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  dark- 


THE    PRINCESS    OF    TASSUMAH.  173 

minded  djins  of  the  sea.  Whilst  she  lived,  the  pirates  would  have 
no  peace  in  the  lands  of  the  Passumese ;  for  these  loved  their 
royal  race,  and  would  give  tribute  and  service  to  no  other,  and 
thus  the  minstrel  sang  of  this  fair  princess. 

ZAYDEE    KAMALA 

Illustrious  Princess ;  Flawless  Gem ; 
Beautiful  Night  in  the  Ulu : 
Bright  Rays  of  morning  light, 
Shining  on  Gunung1  Dempoh. 

Face  of  the  moon,  fourteen  days  old ; 
Hue  of  gold,  ten  times  refined,3 
Hearts  of  men  of  Passumah, 
Fuller  than  coffers  of  Company. 

The  kancheel3  gave  its  form ; 
The  melati  stem  its  bend ; 
Melati4  blooms  no  fragrance, 
By  the  Flower  of  Ulu. 

Flawless  Gem  of  Passumah ; 
Dazzling  eyes  of  men, 
Modest  eyelash  drooping, 
Like  the  Waringin6  shade. 

Tender  voice  of  the  laweet6 
Moaning  the  absent  mate : 
Proud  voice  of  white-maned  waves, 
Lashing  Karang7  Nagosurie. 

Light  of  eyes;  Substance  of  heart8; 
Life  of  the  fainting  soul ; 
Allah  blesses;  men  adore 
Flawless  Gem  of  Passumah. 


174  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

The  mountain1  of  Dempoli,  where  the  princess  resided,  being 
so  lofty,  rugged  and  inaccessible,  is  a  favorite  asylum  for  mythic 
nymphs  and  persecuted  ladies,  whose  highest  standard  of  beauty 
in  the  estimation  of  Malay  poets  is  the  round  face  and  the  golden 
skin.2  The  little  musk  deer,3  a  perfect  one,  not  larger  than  a 
rabbit,  when  full  grown,  bounds  among  the  crags  of  Dempoh ; 
whilst  the  smooth  slopes  are  fragrant  with  the  small  cream  white, 
festival  flower4  of  the  Malays ;  flourishing  under  the  Sumatran 
banyan,6  whose  drooping  limbs,  touching  earth  or  rock,  put  forth 
roots  where  leaves  once  grew,  and  other  columns  appear,  support 
ing  the  great  forest  temple  roof. 

The  sea  swallow,6  which  collects  a  certain  weedy  gum,  exuding 
from  ocean  rocks,  to  build  those  nests  eaten  by  the  people  of  China, 
utters  a  sweet  plaintive  note,  when  parted  from  its  mate ;  and 
the  coral  ledges7  of  Nagosurie,  are  said  to  be  a  favorite  resort  of 
these  industrious  little  victims  of  the  sensual  Chinese  appetite. 


The  minstrel  pitched  his  voice  to  harsh  or  plaintive  tone,  as 
he  read  of  love  or  war :  he  rocked  his  body,  he  waved  his  hand ; 
and  men  and  women,  youths  and  coolies,  slid  off  their  mats,  and 
drawing  near,  with  swaying  heads,  and  moving  hands,  kept  pace 
with  limb  and  sympathetic  look  to  the  songs  of  their  land,  the 
sagas  of  Sumatra. 

When  he  had  ceased,  I  wished  to  see  .the  manuscript  from 
which  he  read.  I  saw  an  old  scroll  in  Arabic  script ;  and  these 
were  the  chronicles  of  Browijoyo,  Madjapahit  and  Palembang ;  but 
where  was  the  story  of  the  princess  of  the  Passumah  ?  The  min 
strel  had  it  in  his  head  alone,  to  which  he  pointed.  Zaydee  Ko- 
mala  is  not  yet  dead ;  and  wherefore  should  her  hakiyat,  history, 
be  written.  She  wanders  upon  the  white  elephant  in  the  Ulu ; 


CHARACTER   OF    MALAY    POETRY.  175 

she  sails  in  the  rambayah  on  the  Moosie,  whilst  her  mantri,  min 
ister,  the  rajah  Tiang  Alam,  Pillar  of  the  World,  fights  the  foul 
djins  of  the  sea,  the  Wolanda  of  Palembang. 

What  was  all  this  story  of  seeming  fact  mingled  with  fable  ? 
I  could  not  learn  from  Panyorang  or  pantun  singer ;  but  from  all 
their  words,  I  learned  that  the  princess  was  not  a  Malay  myth, 
although  the  widadiri  and  elephant  might  be.  Somewhere  in  the 
forests  there  roamed  one  of  the  royal  race  of  the  princes  of  the 
Passumah. 

The  Panyorang  rose,  and  motioned  me  to  follow  him.  As  we 
retired,  the  company  fell  upon  the  food  we  had  left.  My  host  led 
me  into  a  small  chamber,  with  richly  varnished  walls,  and  floor 
made  of  bamboo  slats,  fine  polished  and  well  jointed ;  in  which  for 
only  furniture,  I  saw  a  thick,  soft  mat  and  a  pillow,  by  which  lay 
a  loose  cotton  coat  or  kabyah,  loose  striped  trowsers,  and  em 
broidered  slippers ;  pointing  to  these,  the  Panyorang  said,  take  a 

little  sleep ;  and  left  me  to  enjoy  the  eastern  siesta. 
###*##* 

I  have  heard,  said  the  younger  Missionary  to  the  commander, 
frequent  mention  of  the  pantuns  and  improvised  songs  of  the 
Malays;  but  that  the  subjects  of  them  were  generally  lewd  and 
very  puerile. 

Such  an  opinion,  it  was  said  in  reply,  might  be  formed  from 
what  was  generally  seen  and  heard  of  Malays,  in  Singapore,  Ba- 
tavia,  Pinang,  and  all  other  places  where  European  influence  was 
felt,  and  European  habits  prevailed.  There  the  Malay  was  never 
called  upon,  except  for  impure  dance  and  silly  song.  All  Euro 
peans  had  the  same  desire, — the  ship  owner  and  the  captain,  as 
well  as  the  drunken  sailor, — to  bid  the  Malay  man  fight  his  beasts 
and  his  fowls ;  and  the  Malay  woman,  like  Hindoo  and  Hawaian, 
to  transcend  the  license  of  their  pagan  life ;  as  in  our  own  great 


176  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

marts  of  commerce,  the  countrymen  and  the  stranger,  were  the 
chief  patrons  of  the  city  vice. 

But  the  highest  races  of  the  Malays  of  Sumatra,  the  Battahs, 
the  people  of  the  north-western  coast,  and  of  the  Passumah,  were 
a  people  that  possessed  much  virtue ;  remarkable  in  the  women, 
who  in  many  a  recorded  instance,  had  defended  their  honor  with 
kriss  in  hand.  Among  them,  the  history  of  wars  and  noble  loves ; 
of  heroes,  and  fair  and  faithful  women,  were  the  common  themes 
of  their  wandering  minstrels.  Sumatra,  that  is  only  thought  of 
along  with  tigers,  pirates,  and  pepper,  is  perhaps  the  last  refuge 
of  romance  on  earth. 

The  pantuns,  or  proverbial  expressions  in  rhyme,  are  what 
their  poets  take  most  pride  in  producing.  They  generally  show 
but  very  little  logical  connection ;  and,  the  same  as  in  all  their 
writings,  there  is  a  tedious  repetition  of  names ;  but  they  abound 
in  poetical  descriptions  and  comparisons. 

The  rest  of  the  incidents  that  occurred  at  the  house  of  the 
Panyorang,  were  tho  subject  of  the  narration  of  another  day. 


TWENTY-SECOND  DAY. 

As  I  lay  in  the  siesta  room,  thinking  over  early  dreams  of  the 
land  I  now  lived  in,  I  heard  a  low  plaintive  sound  of  women's 
voices,  a  wailing,  mourning  tone,  that  struck  with  touching  pathos 
on  my  ear.  Although  I  felt  imprisoned  till  my  host  should 
return,  I  stepped  a  little  forth  from  an  outer  door,  to  listen  to  the 
soft  womanly  chant,  that  seemed  like  some  song  of  woe  over  a 
dead  or  dying  child. 

The  wail  changed  to  a  lullaby  tone,  brisker,  livelier  and  hap 
pier  ;  that  still  drew  me  on  nearer,  to  hear  the  notes  of  joy  or 
woe,  that  broke  on  the  siesta  hour.  I  sat  down  beneath  a  cluster 
of  the  odorous  burung  darah,  its  blooms  like  their  name,  white 
doves  on  the  wing.  The  fragrance  of  flower,  the  melody  of  voice, 
the  strangeness  of  scene,  flowed  over  my  heart  with  stirring  power : 
I  bowed  my  head  in  revery,  I  heard  the  word,  anak,  my  son ;  I 
looked  up ;  and  the  majestic  Panyorang  stood  before  me. 

Thinking  of  eastern  etiquette  and  seclusion,  I  feared  that  I 
had  stepped  beyond  the  privilege  of  hospitality.  My  son  is 
curious,  said  the  old  man ;  but  his  heart  is  white :  does  he  come 
to  smell  the  pigeon  flower ;  or  listen  to  the  prayers  of  my  women 
and  children,  who  chant  the  ngasar,  the  afternoon  prayer,  to 
Allah? 

8* 


178  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

I  had  thought  I  heard  a  lament  for  sickness,  or  a  lament  for 
death  :  it  was  not  less  pleasing  to  listen  to  a  lament  for  sin,  and 
a  song  of  praise.  The  Panyorang  said,  follow,  my  son ;  you  shall 
see  as  well  as  hear.  He  paused  at  the  door  of  the  room,  from 
whence  the  sounds  came  forth ;  and  I  heard  that  solemn  refrain  of 
every  moslem  prayer ;  Oh  God,  the  merciful,  and  the  loving  kind. 

The  Panyorang  paused  till  the  chant  had  ceased ;  and  then  he 
opened  the  door ;  and  we  stood  in  an  oblong  chamber,  without 
ornament,  besides  its  varnished  walls,  some  lamps,  a  mirror,  and 
eleven  mats,  upon  all  of  which,  but  one,  women  of  various  ages 
were  seated.  Nemastiapa  was  there,  and  several  matrons  whom 
I  had  seen  before ;  but  there  were  younger  forms  and  faces :  three 
whom  the  Panyorang  called  his  grandchildren;  beautiful  girls; 
beautiful  as  sun-browned  children  of  Sumatra; — eyes  with  soft, 
tender  and  modest  expression;  and  complexion  of  a  mingled 
lustre  of  gold  and  bronze,  soft  and  most  pleasing  to  look  upon. 

The  Panyorang  bid  them  rise  and  called  them  by  name ;  and 
he  bade  me  take  my  vocabulary  and  pencil  in  hand. 

Sareena,  the  gracious,  was  tall  like  a  palm ;  and  had  large 
drooping  eyelashes ;  Oombah,  the  swell  of  the  sea,  was  plump,  and 
merry  in  expression ;  Ledah  manis,  sweet  lip,  was  so  timid,  that 
she  hid  her  face,  all  the  time  that  I  turned  my  eyes  towards  her. 

When  he  had  repeated  these  names,  with  the  ages  of  each,  he 
looked  around  the  room  for  some  one  else.  Where  was  the  kambing 
utan,  the  little  wild  rock  deer.  Afraid,  said  Nemastiapa :  she 
fled  when  she  heard  the  footsteps  of  the  lord  Captain,  with  my 
lord  at  the  door :  she  had  watched  from  the  window :  the  wild 
rock  deer  is  very  mischievous. 

The  Panyorang  called :  a  sliding  sound  was  heard  of  the 
charpoo,  the  Malay  lady's  gold  and  bead  embroidered  slipper,  with 
sole  of  soft,  woody  pith.  A  rustle  of  silk,  and  then  I  saw  a 


A  MALAY  LADY  IN  FULL  DRESS.  179 

pliant  figure,  small  and  graceful,  moving  with  wave-like  motion : 
the  face  of  a  maiden  was  before  me,  not  so  youthful,  not  so  pretty 
and  not  so  delicate  in  its  outline,  as  the  three  I  have  named  ;  but 
lively,  curious,  and  beams  of  soul  touched  those  plainer  lines, 
such  as  I  had  seen  in  no  Malay  face  before. 

Her  dress, — and  I  describe  the  others  in  hers,  was  the  kain 
sarong,  or  skirt,  of  salmon  colored  silk,  held  in  its  folds  by  a  tali 
pendeng,  or  girdle  of  gold,  of  pure  gold,  and  commonly  worn  by 
Malay  women  of  wealth,  some  weighing  fifteen,  and  even  twenty 
ounces :  an  oval  plate,  of  korangan,  filagree  work,  for  which  Su- 
matrans  are  famous,  adorned  it  in  front  ;  the  bust  was  veiled  by 
a  choolee,  or  scarlet  bodice,  bound  by  glistening  gems ;  the  kabyah, 
or  outer  robe,  of  flowered  muslin,  fell  half  way  between  the  -waist 
and  feet :  diamonds,  not  pendent,  but  stuck  to  the  lobe  of  the  ear, 
and  long,  diamond-headed  pins,  completed  the  toilette  of  Sahyoop, 
or  Sahyeepah,  the  winged  one,  the  grand-daughter  of  Panyorang 
Djaya  Laksana.  The  Panyorang  said  that  the  antelope  was  not 
so  beautiful  as  the  palm  tree,  the  wave,  or  the  sweet  lip ;  because 
she  has  the  blood  of  Java,  Her  father,  Wirojoyo,  was  of  Cheribon, 
whither  he  had  now  gone  with  merchandise. 

The  old  chieftain  spoke  for  some  time  to  the  women  about  my 
ship,  my  country  ;  and  then  he  took  pains  to  explain  the  use 
of  my  vocabulary.  Again  he  asked  me  to  say  words  and  sen 
tences  in  my  own  language,  which  he  desired  his  grand- daughters 
to  repeat ;  and  all,  like  Seedap  Malam,  pronounced  them  well ; 
but  best  of  all  by  Sahyeepah ;  who  was  cunning  and  skilful,  said 
Nemastiapa. 

I  asked  the  names  of  each  article  of  dress,  which  Sahyeepah 
quickly  gave  me ;  and  as  all  the  others  ceded  to  her  in  answering, 
a  dialogue  sprang  up,  between  me  and  the  skilful  one  alone :  the 


180 


PRISON    OF    WBLTKVREDEN. 


Panyorang,  and  the  women,  looking  on  with  curious  and  admiring 
interest. 

Had  I  a  mother,  sister,  wife  or  daughter  ?  these  were  now,  as 
often  with  Malay  and  Javanese  women,  the  first  questions  asked. 
Then  my  questioner  spoke  of  Wolanda,  Dutchmen ;  were  they 
strong  in  my  country,  and  did  they  invade  the  land,  as  in  Pulo 
Percha ;  they  were  hateful  and  ugly :  they  treated  the  people  of 
Islam  like  dogs ;  they  were  ugly  as  orang  kubu. 

The  mention  of  orang  kubu  recalled  to  mind  the  creatures  of 
the  covered  creek ;  and  I  spoke  to  the  Panyorang  about  them. 
He  stepped  out  of  the  room,  making  sign  to  me  to  follow.  We 


•  /«  mam 


ORANG    KUBU.  181 

approached  some  outer  sheds,  kandang,  or  stables  for  buffalo.  I 
saw  coolies  at  work,  some  digging  pits  and  trenches ;  others  trim 
ming  and  sharpening  bamboo  poles,  and  engaged  in  other  labor 
for  the  erection  of  an  addition  to  the  kandang. 

I  heard  some  one  cry  lakass,  quick  and  harsh,  as  though 
urging  a  beast ;  yuli !  a  grunt  from  a  gruff  voice  in  reply.  An 
orarig  kubu,  said  the  Panyorang ;  and  I  saw  a  dark  brown  form, 
tall  as  a  middle- sized  man,  covered  with  hair,  that  looked  soft  and 
flowing ;  the  arms,  hands,  legs  and  feet,  seemed  well  formed  like 
the  Malays ;  the  body  was  straight ;  and  easily  bore,  on  the  right 
shoulder,  the  yoke  of  two  heavy  panniers,  filled  with  material  for 
the  building  that  was  going  on. 

The  Panyorang  gave  me  some  of  the  same  particulars  about 
the  orang  kubu,  that  were  told  to  me  by  the  Dutch  officer  on  the 
Soonsang,  to  which  he  added  some  of  the  fable,  that  surrounds 
every  eastern,  and  especially  Malay  account  of  any  thing. 

These  were  tai  orang,  the  refuse  of  men :  they  were  the  descend 
ants  of  some  slaves  of  Alexander,  who  had  fled  from  their  mas 
ter.  They  could  tell  nothing  of  their  forefathers ;  they  could  only 
speak  some  short  grunting  words ;  and  one  syllable  only  of  Malay 
words  they  could  repeat : — nassee,  rice,  being  nass  with  them ; 
and  yan  for  orang.  They  were  brutes,  they  had  no  worship,  no 
marriage,  no  law,  no  clothing,  no  idea  of  its  use ;  they  were  the 
accursed  of  Allah,  companions  of  djins  on  earth ;  fit  only  to  be 
beasts  of  burden ;  and  the  Malays  hunted  them  and  caught  them 
in  pits  and  tree  tops ;  and  made  slaves  of  them,  as  of  right,  said 
the  Panyorang,  all  beings  ought  to  be,  who  are  inferior  to  men. 

The  eyes  of  this  Kubu  were  clearer,  the  nose  fuller,  and  the 
lips  were  thinner  than  those  of  the  common  Malay,  but  the  mouth 
was  wide,  lips  protruding,  and  chin  formed  no  part  of  the  hairy 
face ;  yet  it  was  pleasantly  human  in  its  expression ;  more  so 


182  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

than  the  dirty,  mottle-skinned  lascars  and  coolies  I  had  seen  at 
Minto  and  Palembang. 

Was  this  then  some  lower  grade  of  human  being,  some  con 
necting  link,  between  man  and  beast,  more  human  than  orang  utan, 
or  chimpanze ;  and  less  so  than  Papuan  or  Hottentot  ?  I  could 
not  say  so  from  what  I  saw,  nor  from  all  the  strange  stories  I 
heard.  But  that  beings  of  well  made  human  form,  covered  with 
hair,  almost  without  speech,  and  living  on  raw  food,  dwell  in 
the  caves  and  tree  tops  of  the  forests  of  Sumatra,  are  facts  that 
are  well  established. 

The  Panyorang  said  that  the  Sultan  of  Jambee  had  a  great 
many  Kubu  slaves.  They  were  to  be  found  in  the  rich  gold  region 
of  .Korinchee,  as  well  as  in  the  gum  benzoin  forests,  on  the  Batang 
Lekoh.  Jambee  and  Kubu,  had  become  leading  objects  of  curi 
osity  with  me;  and  I  questioned  the  Panyorang  much  about 
them. 

The  old  Sultan  of  Jambee,  Mohamed  Pachroodin,  and  his 
brother,  the  Panyorang  Ratoo  Marta  Ningrat,  had  made  a  con 
tract  with  the  Dutch  company,  which  secured  to  the  latter  the 
monopoly  of  suit,  and  in  which  provision  was  made  for  the  return 
of  the  fugitive  slaves  of  either  party ;  and  stipulating  for  the 
establishment  of  a  trading  post  at  Moorah  Kompeh,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Jambee  River;  but  the  son  of  Pachroodin,  the 
present  Sultan,  Ratoo  Abduhl  Nasroodin,  was  opposed  to  the  con 
tract  of  his  father,  disliked  the  Dutch,  and  would  have  no  trade 
or  friendship  wth  them. 

The  river  Jambee  was  navigable  as  far  as  the  kraton  of  the 
Sultan,  about  seventy  miles  from  the  mouth,  for  vessels  of  three 
or  four  hundred  tons  burthen.  The  country  abounded  in  gold, 
pepper,  camphor,  cinnamon,  nutmegs,  benzoin  and  other  rich  com 
modities,  which  the  Sultan  and  the  traders  of  his  country  wished 


"  THE   DOG   IN    THE   MANGER."  183 

to  exchange  in  freedom  with  Americans  or  English ;  but  the  Dutch 
had  planted  some  guns  at  Moora  Kompeh ;  and  although  they 
could  not  get  the  trade  themselves,  they  would  not  let  it  descend 
the  river  to  go  to  Singapore ;  or  let  traders  ascend  to  take  it  at 
Jambee.  They  were  ravenous  beasts,  over-gorged  with  the  plun 
der  of  tanah  Jawa,  the  land  of  Java ;  yet  they  would  not  allow 
another  to  touch  in  Pulo  Percha,  what  they  could  not  devour. 
The  Sultan  of  Jambee  was  independent,  and  any  one  might  go  to 
see  him,  who  was  not  afraid  of  the  Dutch  at  Moora  Kompeh. 

Jambee  was  on  the  way  to  Singapore.  I  wanted  to  go  and 
see  a  Prince,  who  was  not  surrounded  by  the  trammels  of  Euro 
pean  power.  I  wanted  to  see  the  Malay,  the  ruling  race  of  the 
Archipelago,  in  his  highest  state  of  independence ;  and  I  wanted 
to  see  more  of  the  Kubu,  and  Gugur,  the  lowest  of  human  kind 
in  those  islands,  or  in  the  world ;  and  far  more  than  to  get  gold 
and  spices,  did  I  want  to  find  out,  what  were  their  claims  to  the 
family  of  man ;  and  on  which  side  of  the  line  of  demarkation  be 
tween  man  and  brute,  did  they  stand. 

I  took  my  leave  of  the  Panyorang  Djaya  Laksana.  I  have 
given  the  pleasantest  picture  of  all  that  I  observed  of  him  and  his 
family.  I  have  not  spoken  of  what  I  saw  of  lazy  or  dirty  habits : 
more  to  be  seen  than  among  enlightened  and  wealthy  Europeans, 
but  far  less  than  among  poor  ones.  I  have  wished  to  introduce 
you  to  the  Malay  mind,  taste  and  imagination ;  you  have  heard 
enough  from  others  about  their  gambling  and  treachery,  their 
filthy  betel  chewing,  and  their  black  teeth. 

I  saw  something  of  this,  at  the  house  of  the  Panyorang,  to 
spoil  a  good  deal  of  interest ;  but  I  saw  pleasant  smiles  of  wel 
come  all  the  time  of  my  stay.  I  saw  a  row  of  pleasant  faces  on 
the  verandah  on  leaving ;  and  when  I  turned  to  depart,  I  heard 
the  selamat  djalan,  safety  on  the  way,  sent  from  the  mouth  of 


184  PRIKON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

Sahyeepah,  and  as  I  stood  in  the  raiubayah,  the  Panyorang  pointed 
to  the  flag  that  still  floated  from  the  cocoanut  tree  top ;  and  said, 

Think  of  ine,  iny  son,  in  America. 

*  *  *  *  *  *  * 

The  elder  missionary  felt  an  unsatisfied  curiosity  about  the 
orang  Kubu,  and  the  orang  Gugur,  beings,  whose  existence  gave 
rise  to  one  of  the  most  profoundly  interesting  questions  for  human 
ity.  The  commander  had  felt  deeply  interested  in  obtaining  a 
thorough  enlightenment,  with  regard  to  the  habits  and  condition 
of  these  hairy  men ;  he  had  resolved  to  visit  the  haunts  of  the 
Kubu  on  the  Eawas  and  the  Batang  Lekoh.  And  with  this 
resolve  in  view,  he  had  not  taken  that  pains  to  observe  the  few 
specimens  of  these  beings  to  be  found  at  Palembang,  which  he 
would  have  done,  had  he  not  had  in  view  a  farther  and  better 
opportunity  to  study  them. 

It  would  be  useless  to  repeat,  except  as  amusing  fable,  the 
extravagant  stories  related  by  Malays  and  Arabs,  about  many 
savage,  aboriginal  races,  to  be  found  in  Sumatra,  and  disputing 
the  jungle  with  the  elephant,  the  tiger,  and  the  innumerable  fam 
ily  of  monkeys ;  but  it  is  singular,  that  on  this  great  island,  where 
nature  has  displayed  herself  most  magnificent,  beautiful  and  luxu 
riant  in  vegetation ;  most  terrible  and  powerful  in  the  brute  crea 
tion,  she  should  have  made  the  original  lords  of  this  soil,  the 
most  abject  on  earth ;  and  of  doubtful  superiority  over  many  of 
man's  wild  vassals  of  the  forest. 

The  Malays  are  not  the  aboriginals  of  Sumatra ;  although  it 
is  known  as  the  chief  seat  of  their  race;  for  within  a  period  com 
mencing  many  hundred  years  after  the  beginning  of  our  era,  the 
first  Mai-ayes,  mountaineers,  or  Mal-ayans,  wanderers,  set  foot  on 
the  great  island,  to  which,  owing  to  the  course  it  lay,  they  desig 
nated  as  barat  sama  utara,  N.  N.  West ;  and  the  latter  words 


FABLED  MONSTERS  IN  THE  EAST.  185 

have  been  readily  corrupted  into  Samatara,  and  Semantara,  by 
natives ;  and  to  Sumatra  by  Europeans.  Pulo  Percha,  the  strip, 
or  ribbon  island,  is  a  name  now  generally  used  by  the  common 
people ;  and  Indalas  is  another  name  of  the  island  to  be  met  with 
in  poetry. 

Innumerable  stories  are  told  of  giants,  dragons,  and  nations  of 
apes,  who  disputed  with  lower  beasts  the  dominion  of  the  soil, 
before  the  arrival  of  the  great  Polynesian  wanderers :  and  Arab 
merchants,  who  probably  traded  on  the  coasts  of  Sumatra  during 
the  classic  ages,  seeking  to  guard  their  monopoly  by  cunning, 
which  has  been  done  later  by  force,  carried  to  Europe  those  stories 
of  fabulous  monsters,  who  guarded  the  cinnamon  and  frankin 
cense  ;  which  gave  such  an  exaggerated  value  to  those  commodi 
ties  in  the  estimation  of  the  credulous  western  world ;  and  led 
the  historians  and  geographers  of  ancient  Greece  to  people  many 
islands  of  the  eastern  ocean  with  anthropophagi  and  hideous 
cyclopean  forms. 

The  Greeks  have  been  blamed  for  their  proneness  to  invest 
the  Eastern  world  with  the  fictions  of  eastern  imagination.  All 
accounts  of  the  west,  wore  the  simple  garb  of  truth  ;  and  even 
the  fabled  Hesperidean  isles,  were  the  abodes  of  a  fair,  simple  and 
happy  race ;  whilst  the  East,  the  cradle  of  humanity,  was  filled 
with  the  distortions  of  inventive  brains,  wrought  out  of  the  myths 
of  Eastern  imagination.  But  was  the  so-called  fable  of  Ctesias 
about  the  dog-faced  people  of  Budtan,  who  eat  raw  flesh  and 
rubbed  their  bodies  with  oil,  stranger  than  that  of  the  hairy  and 
chinless  kubus,  who  rub  themselves  with  gum  ? 

The  Greeks  were  perhaps  too  easily  influenced  by  the  Hindoos, 
in.  yielding  credence  to  a  belief  in  the  existence  of  lower  grades 
of  mankind,  connecting  links  between  the  human  and  brute  crea 
tion,  but  however  repulsive  such  an  idea,  and  however  much  ap- 


186  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

parently  disproven  by  ethnological  research ;  yet  the  contempla 
tion  of  such  hideous,  mindless  abortions  of  humanity,  as  the  beastly, 
herding  Papuans,  the  wow-wows  of  Borneo,  like  the  Cynocephali 
of  the  Macedonian  traveller,  the  woolly  Semangs  of  Malacca,  and 
lower  still  the  Kubus  and  Gugurs  of  Sumatra,  is  well  calculated 
to  humiliate  the  mind  of  the  philosopher,  and  make  him  think 
of  the  possibility  of  the  existence  of  varieties  of  the  human 

form,  where  the  existence  of  a  reasoning  soul  is  problematical. 

******* 

When  the  commander  returned  to  his  vessel,  he  learned  from 
his  sailing-master  many  interesting  particulars,  confirming  pre 
vious  accounts  about  the  Sultan  and  territory  of  Jambee.  He 
had  met  with  the  master  of  the  Arab  ship  Maimoon,  who  was 
formerly  a  sailor  on  board  the  Royalist,  the  yacht  of  Sir  James 
Brooke,  and  was  in  his  service,  when  rajah  of  Serawak. 

This  man  had  visited  Jambee ;  and  had  spoken  with  the  Sul 
tan,  who  disliked  Hollanders,  and  was  friendly  to  the  English  of 
Singapore.  An  American  ship  would  be  welcomed  the  same  as 
an  English  one ;  and  as  the  monsoon  was  about  to  change,  the  Flirt 
might  make  the  run  down  the  Moosee  and  Soonsang,  and  ascend 
the  Jambee,  in  less  than  four  days.  But  it  would  be  advisable 
to  send  a  messenger  with  a  friendly  note,  and  some  small  compli 
mentary  gift  before  going  there. 

A  good  Malay  scribe  was  wanted  to  write  a  proper  message ; 
and  one  had  been  wanted,  for  some  time,  to  read  Malay  manu 
script,  history  and  verse,  and  to  teach  correctly  the  high  Malay, 
for  which  the  man  Bahdoo  was  found  to  be  entirely  unfit.  To  ob 
tain  one,  the  commander  had  spoken  to  several  officers  of  the  gar 
rison  of  Palembang,  the  same  as  he  had  done  to  obtain  a  servant 
at  Minto. 

He  went  ashore,  and  met  the  Major  Blommcstein,  to  whom  he 


THE    MALAY    SECRETARY.  187 

mentioned  his  wish  to  engage  a  good  Malay  writer  and  scholar  in 
his  service.  The  Major  would  inquire.  The  commander  went  a 
second  day,  and  the  scribe  he  wanted  was  found ;  but  he  was  sur 
prised  to  see  in  the  young  man  brought  before  him,  the  reader 
and  pantun  singer  he  had  met  at  the  house  of  the  Panyorang. 
Yet  it  was  not  to  be  considered  strange ;  the  man  wandered  about 
to  write  and  relate  pantuns  and  stories  for  the  rich :  he  had  come 
to  sing  for  the  officers  of  the  fort,  and  so  the  juro  tulis,  Kiagoos 
Lanang,  was  engaged  to  teach  high  Malay,  to  write  messages  to 
princes  and  chieftains,  and  to  go  if  he  wished  to  Singapore. 

Bahdoo  had  brought  one  of  his  countrymen  on  board  the 
schooner,  a  man  from  Padang,  called  Moonchwa ;  he  was  a  foster 
brother  of  Bahdoo,  and  they  wished  so  much  to  be  together :  he 
wanted  but  little  pay,  enough  for  daily  rice  and  a  new  sarong ;  so 
the  commander  added  Moonchwa  to  his  two  other  Malay  retainers. 

The  commander  became  intimate  with  many  officers  of  the 
garrison  of  the  fort  at  Palembang.  He  visited  them  in  their 
quarters,  and  they  spent  a  great  deal  of  time  on  board  his  vessel ; 
and  Dutch  officers  were  daily  intermingled  with  natives  of  rank, 
coming  to  admire  the  beauty  of  the  Flirt,  but  the  Major  Blom- 
mestein  was  most  frequently  associated  with  the  commander. 
This  officer  was  born  in  the  East  Indies ;  and  had  strong  sympa 
thies  with  the  native  races  of  the  Archipelago :  he  was  frank  and 
intelligent,  and  spoke  freely  about  his  Government  and  the  state 
of  affairs  in  the  East. 

Some  of  these  Malay  men  of  rank,  these  Panyorangs  whom  you 
meet  with,  said  the  Major  to  the  commander,  are  courteous  and 
agreeable  men;  but  the  greater  portion  are  lazy  and  vicious. 
Some  cultivate  a  taste  for  letters :  they  all  read  the  Koran,  and 
have  a  respectable  knowledge  of  Arabic,  which  is  their  classic  lan 
guage,  as  with  all  other  Mahometans.  They  are  of  the  sect  of 


188  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

Alidcs;  but  you  must  have  observed  that  Islamism  merely  exists 
in  forin,  and  is  mingled  with  a  great  deal  of  the  old  pagan  super 
stition,  so  much  like  the  mythology  of  the  Greeks.  The  Ma 
lays  of  Palembang  repeat  the  formal  prayers  of  the  Koran  at  the 
prescribed  times,  and  observe  the  fast  of  the  Ilamazan  very 
rigidly;  but  they  seldom  frequent  their  messigheet  or  mosque, 
which  is  chiefly  attended  by  Arabs.  They  drink  wine  and  beer  free 
ly  with  Europeans; — and  the  Malay  gentleman — for  there  are 
many  who  would  realize  that  character  in  the  best  European  so 
ciety — is  a  good  liver,  and  a  free  thinker ;  and  a  very  pleasant  and 
hospitable  entertainer. 


POSITION  OF  THE  WOMEN  OF  SUMATRA. 

There  are  no  social,  nor  any  other  kind  of  restrictions  imposed 
upon  the  women :  they  are  as  free  as  the  men,  to  go  abroad  pub 
licly,  to  see  and  be  seen,  to  transact  business,  to  travel,  to  marry 
when  and  whom  they  choose,  and  more  than  all  to  become  sover 
eigns  in  many  states  of  Sumatra,  and  elsewhere  in  the  Archipelago. 

The  rayat}  or  masses  of  the  Malay  people,  have  ever  manifested 
a  decided  preference  for  female  rule.  Malay  women  have  furnished 
instances  for  history,  of  a  lofty  patriotism.  The  uniform  mild 
ness  and  prosperity,  attendant  upon  their  sway,  as  contrasted  with 
the  cruelty  and  rapacity  of  the  male  rulers ; — ever  ready  to  sell 
their  country  for  a  few  gewgaws  of  ornament  and  parade,  has 
resulted  in  a  decided  preference  in  various  portions  of  the  Archi 
pelago  for  the  elevation  of  women,  especially  maidens,  to  the  sov 
ereignty  ;  and  this  beautiful  and  chivalrous  homage  to  women  and 
>  iririnity  has  been  chiefly  maintained  by  Boni  in  Celebes;  and  by 
Achin  in  Sumatra,  that  once  proud  state,  which  received  an  am 
bassador  from  a  sovereign  of  England,  and  sent  its  hundred  thou- 


FEMALE  SUPREMACY  IN  SUMATRA.  189 

Band  warriors  under  Laksamana  against  Malacca ;  and  is  now  the 
only  truly  independent  state  on  the  island. 

Female  divinities,  for  all  that  is  good  is  feminine  among 
Suniatrans,  still  people  the  forests  and  mountain  recesses.  Every 
deep-shaded  waringin,  or  thick-tufted  bamboo,  every  glen  and 
cleft  and  cool  recess,  is  tenanted  by  a  widadiri,  those  celestial 
maidens,  the  nymph,  the  sylph,  the  dryad,  and  houri  of  the 
Malay. 

Although  the  machinery  of  good  and  evil  genii  belong  to  a 
system  of  belief  long  abolished ;  yet  they  still  exist  in  the  legends 
of  the  land.  In  the  superstition  of  the  people,  every  person  of 
note  has  some  spiritual  agency  attending  their  birth ;  and  what 
ever  is  surrounded  with  the  slightest  mystery,  or  whatever  it  is 
desired  to  invest  with  any  especial  interest,  has  been  the  object  of 
the  protection  of  the  widadiri. 

With  stories  of  this  kind,  the  chieftains  who  oppose  us  rally 
the  people  around  them.  The  rajah  Tiang  Alam,  who  has  stirred 
up  the  tribes  of  the  Ampat  Lawang  in  the  territory  of  the  Passu- 
mah  against  the  Dutch  Government,  was  of  the  condition  of  a  slave 
not  more  than  three  years  ago ;  yet  by  ingenious  stories,  making 
himself  the  protected  of  the  good  spirits  of  the  country,  and  the 
protector  of  some  pretended  offspring  of  their  old  princes,  he  has 
gained  the  sympathies  and  support  of  the  people ;  and  been  ena 
bled  to  carry  on  a  warfare  that  has  been  highly  destructive  to  our 
interests  in  Sumatra,  and  threatened  the  stability  of  our  hitherto 
strong  position  on  the  island. 

One  of  the  stories  of  Tiang  Alam,  is  about  a  certain  prin 
cess,  called  Zaydee,  or  Sahdeeah  Komala  ;  common  names  in 
Malay  romance,  and  often  given  to  wandering  singers  and  dancers ; 
for  I  have  met  with  two  Sahdeeahs  at  Palembang  of  that  class. 
But  the  people  firmly  believe  that  some  of  the  descendants  of 


190  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

the  old  Madjapahit  dynasty,  and  of  the  family  of  the  late  Sultan 
Badroodin,  still  wander  in  the  fastnesses  of  the  Ulu ;  and  will  be 
restored  to  the  ancient  throne  by  Tiang  Alam,  when  he  shall  have 
driven  us  away. 

I  have  often  heard  of  this  princess  Zaydee  Komala,  and  if  the 
Malays  did  not  mingle  so  much  fable  with  every  thing  they  relate, 
I  should  be  inclined  to  think,  from  report,  that  she  was  a  very  in 
teresting  personage,  and  worthy  of  the  homage  so  often  accorded 
to  their  royal  women ;  but  from  my  own  knowledge,  I  could  not 
say  whether  this  Zaydee  is  a  pantun  singer  or  a  princess. 

After  leaving  the  Major,  the  commander  spoke  with  Kiagoos 
Lauang  about  the  lady  of  his  song :  she  was  indeed,  he  said,  a  reel 
princess;  and  lived  not  far  off;  but  a  slave  like  him  dare  not 
approach  her  presence ;  and  thus  he  had  not  seen  her ;  but  if  the 
tuan,  his  master,  should  desire  to  behold  the  Flower  of  the  Pas- 
sumah,  he  would  speak  with  a  hadjy,  who  was  a  slave  of  the 
princess. 

Some  time  afterwards,  this  hadjy,  a  very  dark  complexioned 
Malay  Arab,  whose  name  was  Zenodeen,  came  on  board  the  Flirt 
to  signify  the  wish  of  Mantri,  the  Minister  of  the  princess,  who 
wished  to  see  the  American  Commander,  and  speak  with  him 
about  his  mistress.  A  rambayah  would  be  sent  down  the  river ; 
he  must  trust  himself  alone;  and  .this  visit  to  the  wandering 
Malay  young  lady  was  thus  related  on  board  the  Palmer,  on  the 
twenty-third  day  of  her  homeward  voyage  from  Java. 


TWENTY  THIRD  DAY. 

AGAIN,  with  song  and  dipping  blades,  I  sped  along  the  waters 
of  the  Moosee,  whither  led,  and  to  whom,  I  knew  not;  "but  urged 
by  many  stories  of  seeming  fact  and  fiction ;  so  strangely  mingled, 
that  I  wished  to  see  what  ground  there  was  for  the  pleasant 
Malay  romance ;  or  the  Dutchman's  plainer  story. 

The  sun  had  set  when  I  came  in  sight  of  two  large  rambayahs 
at  anchor  in  the  stream ;  each  of  size  to  carry  one  hundred  men. 
They  were  covered  with  an  atap  awning  roof;  and  curtains  of 
dark  cloth  enclosed  the  sides  around :  a  gong  gave  signal  of  our 
approach ;  a  portion  of  curtain  at  the  forward  end  of  the  largest 
barge,  was  raised  up ;  I  saw  Zenodeen  in  gay  scarlet  dress,  with 
a  huge  kriss  in  his  girdle ;  and  could  hardly  recognize  the  dirty 
hadjy  I  had  seen  before,  in  the  armed  and  jewelled  warrior  I  now 
beheld. 

These  first  sights, — the  warlike  barges,  and  the  armed  pilgrim, 
made  me  think  that  I  had  been  led  into  a  pirate  trap,  where  I 
should  be  held  to  ransom ;  but  Zenodeen  gave  me  little  time  to 
dwell  on  suspicions  of  evil  design.  A  cloth-covered  plank  was 
placed  for  me  to  step  on  board  the  large  rambayah ;  the  hadjy  led 
the  way  aft,  through  a  number  of  oarsmen  and  women :  we  ap 
proached  a  scarlet  curtain  ;  he  clapped  his  hands;  it  parted; 
and  then  I  beheld  a  scene  of  curious  pomp  and  beauty. 

Amid  many  pendant  lamps,  like  lighted  lotus  cups,  softly 
shaded  with  an  odorous  incense  cloud  from  burning  benzoin ;  amid 


192  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

yellow  and  scarlet  robes,  of  glittering  gems,  and  many  pretty 
bright,  golden-hued  faces,  was  one  more  soft  and  noble  5  of  fine 
Arab  type  in  many  lines,  of  curving  nose,  thin  lips,  rounded  chin, 
and  proud  setting  of  the  neck;  but  softer  ones,  of  Passumah 
poesy,  marked  the  swelling  brow  with  its  downy  border,  at  the 
base  of  the  massive  mount  of  glossy  hair,  that  rose  with  magnifi 
cent  sweep,  crowning  a  noble  domain  of  beauty,  and  dignified 
•womanly  grace,  which  had  fittingly  been  named  the  Flawless 
Gem. 

In  words  of  most  pleasant  tone,  she  gave  me  the  usual  words 
of  welcome  :  she  spoke  of  my  long  voyage,  coming  so  far  without 
merchandise,  alone  to  see  the  people  of  Pulo  Percha ;  and  did 
many  men  in  my  country  feel  good  will  to  this  land ;  and  wish  to 
give  happiness  to  Malays  ?  she  had  heard  from  the  hadjy,  that 
my  country  was  very  great,  greater  than  Holland ;  and  that  I 
stood  near  the  rajah  of  America  when  at  home. 

I  had  ceased  to  marvel  at  Malay  magnification  of  my  position 
and  purposes  after  meeting  with  Dutch  exaggeration  of  the  objects 
of  my  presence  in  the  Archipelago.  So  fanciful  a  personage,  with 
such  a  pretty  little  ship,  had  never  been  seen  in  these  seas  before ; 
and  if  the  Dutch  would  have  me  to  be  a  commodore  in  disguise, 
I  could  not  bo  surprised  that  this  Malay  lady  should  suppose, 
that  I  was  some  high  courtier,  an  American  Mantri,  or  secre 
tary  of  state,  and  confidential  envoy  of  the  rajah  of  America. 

A  tall  and  venerable  man,  with  white  beard,  and  robed  in 
black  and  green,  wished  to  know  if  American  ships  would  not  go 
up  the  Moosee  and  the  Jambee  rivers  to  buy  spices,  and  cotton, 
which  grew  plentiful  in  the  Passumah :  the  people  would  not  sell 
to  the  Dutch ;  then  would  not  American  merchants  come  here, 
and  make  good  trade,  and  wealth  for  themselves ;  the  same  as  at 
Singapore  ?  And  of  course,  I  told  him  that  I  should  tell  my 


VISIT    TO    THE    PRINCESS    KOMALA.  193 

countrymen,  who  loved  trade  very  much,  all  about  what  he  said 
when  I  returned  home      This  was  Mantri  Wira  Menggala. 

Zenodeen  had  received  some  sign  of  command ;  he  clapped 
his  hands,  a  space  was  cleared,  and  three  girls  came  forward  to 
improvise  some  words  of  compliment,  about  my  visit ;  and  at  the 
same  time,  some  vessels  of  the  peculiar  manufacture  of  Palern- 
bang,  were  placed  before  me,  made  of  fine  wood  and  of  richest 
lacquer  work ;  spherical,  oval,  and  oblong,  shaped  and  colored  like 
fruit ;  and  when  I  touched  the  fruit-like  stems,  I  discovered  lids 
and  then  receptacles  full  of  jellied  pulp  of  fruits,  and  spiced 
cakes  of  rice  and  cocoanut  of  great  variety. 

The  minstrels  were  dressed  as  I  had  seen  before,  but  I  saw 
no  adornment  of  flower  wreaths,  chaplets,  and  crowns  of  the  kum- 
bang  melati.  The  glossy  black  hair,  well  combed  back,  left  full  to 
view  the  round,  swelling  forehead,  bordered  with  a  fringe  of  fine 
downy  curls ; — the  small  thin  ear ;  and  all  of  the  mild  and  expressive 
face  of  the  well-favored  Malay  female.  One  of  these  I  now  saw, 
struck  me  as  having  been  seen  before ;  but  I  could  not  remember 
where,  and  a  glance  of  recognition  seemed  to  flash  from  the  eyes 
of  the  singing  girl. 

Of  all  that  was  sung,  the  greater  part  was  lost  to  me  this  time ; 
for  I  did  not  afterwards,  as  I  had  on  the  occasion  of  other  singing, 
meet  with  any  explaining  interpreter.  The  smiles  at  certain  parts, 
the  nodding  looks  towards  me,  and  a  few  understood  words,  told 
that  compliment  mingled  largely  in  the  song. 

Then  one  sung  alone,  the  one  whose  looks  spoke  of  some  past 
meeting,  I  knew  not  where.  Her  words,  repeated  slowly,  and 
in  the  common  Malay,  I  understood  better.  She  sang  some 
thing  of  Dutchmen,  of  officers  with  burning  eyes ;  and  faces, 
red  and  swollen  with  strong  water,  as  a  storm-setting  sun.  They 
uttered  big  words,  they  bellowed  like  devils,  they  struck  poor 
9 


194  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEJT. 

slaves,  helpless  women,  whose  souls  were  gone,  there  was  no  heart 
of  life  left  in  them ;  as  they  lay  in  an  evil  abode ;  when  Allah 
opened  a  door ;  his  face  was  like  a  man ;  not  like  Wolanda,  not 
like  Arab,  nor  any  seen  before  :  like  the  grey  cloud  and  blue  sky, 
hanging  over  Dempoh. 

At  the  first  words  of  the  song  I  recalled  to  mind  the  prisoners 
of  the  rakit.  But  the  princess  gazed  with  inquiring  look ;  and 
the  hadjy  scowled,  as  the  song  went  on.  When  it  ceased,  the 
princess  spoke,  and  Zenodeen  replied  in  words  I  could  not  under 
stand.  The  singing  girl  fell  prostrate,  and  seemed  to  implore 
protection  from  the  anger  of  the  hadjy. 

"What  mystery  was  here :  the  hapless  and  innocent  maidens, 
the  shrinking  victims  of  the  night  scene  by  the  fort ;  now  public 
players :  the  procuring  hadjy  then  told  of;  and  the  disturbed  and 
angry  hadjy  now  before  me.  What  foul  play,  left  unrevealed  until 
my  presence  brought  it  forth ;  and  what  part  in  this,  had  Zaydee 
Komala ;  and  what  was  there  true  or  feigned,  in  all  this  scene  of 
hadjys  and  mautris,  pantun  singers  and  the  princess?  were 
thoughts  that  arose,  whilst  the  singing  girl  plead,  the  hadjy  ex 
plained  and  the  princess  frowned. 

The  hadjy  retired ;  and  the  Mantri  spoke  again,  he  talked  of 
battles  in  the  Ampat  Lawang  between  Tiang  Alam,  and  the  troops 
of  the  company ;  of  men  and  forts  in  the  interior,  and  of  great 
stores  of  trade  for  American  merchants,  who  would  ascend  the 
Moosee :  to  which  I  could  only  reply  as  before,  that  I  would  report 
his  words  on  my  return  to  America. 

I  had  brought  with  me  a  Mexican  topaz,  large  and  of  fine 
color,  a  piece  of  scarlet  brocatelle,  some  vials  of  essences,  and 
an  engraving  of  Lady  Blessington  in  a  gilt  frame :  these  were 
laid  before  the  princess ;  she  smiled  on  looking  at  the  picture ; 
it  must  be  my  wife,  no ;  the  wife  of  the  rajah  of  America ;  not 


FILAGREE    OF    GOLD    IN    SUMATRA.  195 

BO  ;  then  it  must  be  some  princess  I  designed  to  take  to  my  house, 
by  and  by ;  and  as  I  did  not  wish  to  say  that  I  had  no  knowledge 
of  the  original,  I  was  willing  for  her  to  remain  so  near  the  truth, 
that  it  was  the  likeness  of  a  princess  whom  I  admired. 

Wira  Menggala  received  from  the  hands  of  the  princess,  what 
seemed  at  first  to  be  a  mangosteen, — with  purple  rind  and  a  few 
thick  leaves  near  the  stem, — a  real  fruit  to  the  eye,  at  a  little 
distance;  but  nearer,  I  saw  that  it  was  a  piece  of  the  curious 
lacquered  work  of  Palcmbang.  The  Mantri  lifted  up  the  stem 
and  disclosed  a  beautiful  flower  of  korangan,  filigree  work  of 
gold,  in  which  Sumatrans  have  given  patterns  to  the  most  skilful 
artists  of  Paris.  The  flower  was  a  blending  on  the  same  stem 
of  jessamine  cups,  and  of  white-doves  on  the  wing :  the  leaves 
were  shaped  like  those  of  the  tamarind,  but  of  gossamer  texture ; 
a  single  leaf  showing  many  hundred  of  the  most  minute  gauze- 
like  filaments  and  fibres,  wrought  out  with  the  ductile  gold. 

This  flower  would  be  more  fragrant  than  all  the  blooms  of 
the  forest :  it  was  brightened  by  the  sunshine  of  beauty, — and 
perfumed  with  friendship.  It  would  dazzle  among  the  flowers 
of  America.  I  tried  to  say  almost  as  much  as  this  as  I  held  the 
gift  in  my  hand.  The  princess  said  that  there  were  many  flowers  in 
the  Passumah  more  beautiful  than  this ; — the  Dutchmen  sought 
them,  but  they  could  not  find  them.  They  would  be  found  by 
those  who  were  not  djins, — who  had  cleaner  souls. 

I  rose  to  retire ;  the  Mantri  clapped  his  hands ;  after  a  while,  a 
gong  sounded ;  the  princess  said  safety  on  the  way,  and  safety 
to  return,  and  visit  the  Ulu :  when  I  stood  in  the  rambayah  to 
bear  me  back,  a  clang  of  gongs  broke  forth,  and  down  the  stream 
I  sped  again.  We  passed  an  ascending  boat ;  and  by  the  star 
light,  I  thought  I  beheld  a  glistening  epaulette. 


TWENTY-FOURTH  DAY. 

WHEN  on  board  iny  vessel,  I  found  the  Balinese  Captain,  who 
had  many  stories  to  tell,  and  some  warnings  to  give.  The  Dutch 
men  at  the  fort  were  greatly  disturbed  by  the  daily  levees  of  na 
tives  and  Arabs,  held  on  board  my  vessel : — my  visits  unarmed  and 
alone ;  my  reception  by  Malays  of  rank  in  a  way  never  shown  to 
any  European  before,  had  given  rise  to  the  most  extravagant  sto 
ries  in  the  fort,  that  I  had  a  concealed  treasure  of  dollars  and 
gems,  which  I  was  distributing  with  a  profuse  hand,  to  prepare  the 
way  for  a  more  extended  American  influence  in  Sumatra. 

The  Balinese  was  puzzled  himself  to  account  for  my  rapid 
progress  in  winning  the  native  confidence ;  and  was,  I  dare  say, 
annoyed  to  find  that  his  ciceronage  was  in  so  short  a  time  no 
longer  needed.  He  did  not,  nor  did  any  of  the  Dutchmen  under 
stand,  that  there  were  avenues  of  taste  leading  to  the  confidence 
of  this  people,  even  quicker  than  those  of  trade ;  and  far  less  did 
he  or  they  understand,  that  Malays,  like  all  of  the  eastern  world, 
were  to  be  reached  through  their  moral,  rather  than  their  intellec 
tual  convictions ;  and  that  confidence  was  to  be  won  by  bestowing 
it. 

The  Captain  warned  me,  as  he  had  done  so  often  before,  but 
I  had  ceased  to  pay  any  attention  to  his  stories  of  Dutch  jealousy 
and  Malay  treachery ;  which  thus  far  had  received  no  confirma 
tion.  And  whilst  he  talked,  one  of  the  subjects  of  his  warnings, 


SUMATRAN  LOVE  OF  ADVENTURE.  197 

the  young  Arab,  Abdallah,  the  grandson  of  Scherriff  Ali,  came  to 
see  me ;  and  with  joy  in  his  face,  said  that  his  grandfather  and 
father  had  consented  to  let  him  go  with  me. 

Since  the  first  proposal  of  Abdallali  to  enter  my  service,  I 
had  received  a  great  number  of  similar  offers ;  but  none  so  interest 
ing  as  his.  The  sailing-master  was  receiving  daily  applications 
from  Malays,  who  wished  to  join  the  vessel  as  sailors,  having 
received  not  less  than  a  hundred  such,  from  men,  who  only 
asked  for  rice  and  three  dollars  a  month,  whilst  they  could  earn 
four  times  that  amount  at  Palembang.  But  the  Malay  is  a  genu 
ine  lover  of  adventure ;  and  my  ship  and  myself  having  been  mag 
nified  by  so  many  stories,  promised  some  cmir-l  of  romantic 
interest ;  for  which  he  was  willing  to  forego  greater  profit  ashore. 

I  had  got,  as  I  thought,  the  complement  of  natives  I  wanted, 
Moonchwa,  Bahdoo,  and  Kiagoos  Lanang,  the  cook,  the  valet,  and 
the  poet ;  but  Abdallah  urged,  and  I  liked  the  youth ;  and  I 
resolved  to  take  the  young  Arab  gentleman,  as  company  for  my 
cabin.  He  wished  to  have  the  parental  consent  at  once  con 
firmed  ;  and  took  me  in  his  tambangan  to  the  house  of  the  chief 
of  the  Arabs. 

The  Panyorang  received  me  with  warm  and  kindly  interest : 
he  had  heard  my  name  in  the  mouth  of  every  man :  spoken  with 
friendship  by  Arabs,  Malays  and  Chinese ;  but  evil  lurked  under 
the  tongue  of  the  Dutchmen.  I  must  go  to  Jambee,  where  all 
would  be  friends,  Abdallah  would  be  a  faithful  younger  brother, 
and  would  help  me  to  speak  all  my  thoughts  in  the  presence  of 
princes. 

Abdallah  had  retired  to  prepare  for  departing  with  me  :  after 
a  while,  he  returned  with  a  dejected  look ;  his  grandfather  in 
quired  the  cause,  then  entered  an  inner  chamber.  I  heard  the 
voices  of  women,  and  a  sobbing  sound.  The  Panyorang  came 


198  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

back,  and  said,  the  mother  has  become  little-hearted,  and  cannot 
part  with  her  last  born,  with  Abdallah,  who  is  a  tender  kid  in  his 
mother's  eyes. 

Whilst  the  Panyorang  talked,  the  father  of  Abdallah  arrived, 
Captain  Aboubakr,  with  two  of  his  sons,  who  assisted  him  on 
board  the  Djelanie.  The  Captain  was  a  stout,  handsome  Arab, 
who  manifested  great  pleasure  on  seeing  me.  He  went  to  talk 
with  his  wife ;  his  father  joined  him,  but  again  the  Panyorang 
returned,  and  shook  his  head,  saying,  it  was  hard  to  deal  with 
women ;  he  did  not  deceive  me,  but  as  he  wished  me,  his  son,  to 
know  that  he  spoke  truth,  he  would  break  Arab  custom,  and  let 
me  hear  his  perverse  daughter  myself. 

He  led  forth  a  female,  dressed  in  garments  of  sober  hue.  A 
^carf  like  a  Mexican  riboso,  covered  her  head,  and  was  fastened 
under  her  chin,  partially  concealing  features  more  oval  than 
those  of  any  female  I  had  yet  seen  in  Sumatra ;  the  nose  was 
aquiline,  the  mouth  small,  the  lips  thin,  the  teeth  pure  and  white, 
and  I  saw  a  fine  matronly  face,  that  bore  the  marks  of  about  forty 
years  of  age. 

The  voice  of  the  Arab  lady  sounded  deeper,  more  sonorous 
than  the  Malays.  She  was  happy  that  her  son,  her  youngest,  her 
smallest,  and  her  weakest  one,  had  appeared  so  pleasing  in  the 
eyes  of  the  American  Tuan,  that  he  would  make  her  son  his  younger 
brother ;  but  Abdallah  was  too  weak  to  walk  among  strangers 
alone ;  he  had  not  the  teachings  of  the  prophet,  nor  the  customs 
of  his  people,  very  deep  in  his  heart ;  he  would  neglect  the  ngasar, 
and  the  mahrib,  the  daily  prayers  in  a  strange  land :  and  thus  this 
mother,  like  all  others  in  the  world,  Christian,  Jew,  and  Moslem, 
i'«'..r<'(l  chiefly  on  account  of  risk  to  the  religion  of  her  child. 

Captain  Aboubakr,  said  it  was  well ; — that  Abdallah  should 
remain;  he  had  an  older  son,  one  bold  and  skilful  on  the  sea; 


ANTICIPATIONS    OF    A    SUMATRAN    HEROINE.  199 

Hussein,  his  second  born ;  and  he  pointed  out  one  of  the  young 
men,  who  had  come  with  him ;  but  Hussein  had  not  the  expres 
sive  face  of  the  younger  brother ;  and  I  said  that  I  would  return 
to  Palembang,  when  Abdallah  had  got  the  lessons  of  his  mother 
deeper  in  his  heart. 

This  was  only  one  of  many  instances  I  met  with  and  heard  of, 
which  confirmed  the  words  of  the  Major  in  regard  to  the  position 
of  women  in  Sumatra, — even  among  Arab  and  Chinese,  as  well 
as  Malay ;  though  no  women  are  so  free  as  those  of  the  latter ; 
the  rights  of  the  Malay  ladies  are  equal  in  every  particular  to 
those  of  the  Malay  lords. 

I  had  seen  interesting  evidence  of  it,  in  the  position  and  state 
that  surrounded  the  young  Z  ay  dee  Kornala,  and  in  the  social 
freedom,  and  forward  part  taken  by  the  women  of  the  household 
of  Panyorang  Djaya  Laksana;  of  one  of  those,  of  her  womanly 
grace  and  intelligence,  of  her  courage,  enthusiasm,  refinement, 
and  tenderness ;  and  of  all  that  could  constitute  a  noble  and  in 
teresting  woman,  in  any  part  of  the  world,  I  shall  speak  again, 
when  we  shall  meet  her  amid  other  scenes,  and  taking  a  part  that 
will  show  the  exalted  character  of  the  Sumatran  woman. 

And  that  one,  said  the  young  lady  on  board  the  Palmer,  is,  I 
presume,  the  courageous  visitant  of  your  prison,  of  whom  I  heard 
such  vague  and  contradictory  rumors  in  Batavia;  and  even  in 
China. 

But  the  Commander  observed,  smiling,  that  he  wished  to  give 
the  greatest  possible  effect  to  the  introduction  of  his  Malay  friends ; 
and  would  not  satisfy  any  fair  lady's  curiosity  by  anticipating 
their  presentation  in  the  due  course  of  his  story. 


TWENTY-FIFTH  DAY. 

I  prepared  to  depart.  I  had  already  far  exceeded  the  stay  I 
first  designed,  yet  wishful  to  make  it  longer :  to  see  more  of  the 
people ;  the  panyorangs,  and  other  nobles  of  Palembang ;  to  roam 
in  the  gutta-percha,  cinnamon  and  camphor  forests ;  to  rouse  up 
the  elephant  and  tiger  that  I  had  heard  warring  in  the  jungle,  and 
to  follow  the  hairy  Kubu  to  his  haunt ;  but  I  began  to  feel  myself 
surrounded  by  the  espionage  of  a  power,  that  could  see  no  good 
purpose  outside  of  the  pursuits  of  trade ;  and  though  not  all  pow 
erful  here,  had  the  force  and  the  ill  will  to  put  me  in  peril  at  any 
time. 

Had  I  shown  a  liking  for  the  coarse  jokes,  and  the  beer  and 
tobacco  fumes  of  the  mess  room ;  had  I  been  content  to  interest 
and  enlighten  my  mind  by  daily  games  of  billiards,  and  by  a 
nightly  display  of  dollars  on  the  card  table ;  had  I  studied  Palem 
bang  behind  the  guns  of  the  fort,  in  idly  watching  the  swarthy 
skins  that  plied  the  paddle  on  the  river ;  and  amused  myself  by 
kicking  the  yellow-skinned  coolies,  and  calling  them  thieving  and 
treacherous  dogs,  because  they  did  not  understand  some  uncouth 
jargon  that  I  should  bellow  in  their  ears ;  had  I  sought  thus  to 
please,  amuse  and  edify  myself,  I  might  have  revelled  on  at  Pa 
lembang  in  peace,  till  I  had  gambled  away  my  ship ;  or  given 
away  my  health  to  Dutch  debauch  in  the  East. 

But  I  had  done  otherwise,  and  after  a  time,  the  Resident  met 


DUTCH    DISLIKE    AT    PALEMBANG.  201 

me  with  a  constrained  look,  the  naval  commander  with  a  frowning 
brow ;  and  all  the  officers  of  the  garrison  had  become  more  or  less 
shy ;  all  except  my  friend,  the  Major,  who  met  me  as  usual,  with 
cordial  manner,  and  words ;  and  thus,  at  one  time,  spoke  of  the 
state  of  feeling  towards  me  in  the  fort. 

I  had  raised  up  a  bitter  enemy  in  the  person  of  the  Assistant 
Resident  of  Palembang.  He  was  a  mulatto,  the  son  of  the  late 
General  Storm  S'Gravcsande,  and  a  negress  of  Surinam :  a  very 
dark  man,  was  the  Assistant ; — with  the  woolly  head,  and  marked 
features  of  the  maternal  side  of  his  family.  The  Major  reminded 
me  of  some  remarks  that  I  had  made  when  dining  with  the  Resi 
dent,  about  the  condition  of  the  African  race  in  South  Carolina ; 
some  simple  statements  about  their  moral  and  physical  state; 
neither  advocating  nor  condemning  it,  nor  in  any  way  reflecting 
upon  people  of  color ;  yet  the  conversation  afterward  called  forth 
from  Storm  most  vindictive  language,  expressive  of  a  very  decided 
hate  to  Americans  in  general;  which  feeling  at  last,  said  the 
Major,  settled  down  upon  you  in  particular. 

The  Resident  has  placed  the  Captain  commanding  the  topo 
graphical  corps  under  arrest,  for  having  shown  you  a  map,  indica 
ting  the  military  routes  and  posts  in  the  interior ;  and  he  has 
become  greatly  alarmed  at  the  daily  levees  of  natives  on  board 
your  vessel ;  and  at  the  manner  you  are  received  by  the  chief 
tains  of  the  surrounding  country. 

Born  as  I  am  and  reared  in  the  Archipelago,  said  the  Major, 
I  cannot  view  these  things,  these  doings  of  yours,  in  the  same 
light  that  those  do  who  come  from  the  land  of  my  fathers.  The 
instinctive  jealousy  of  the  Dutchmen  about  all  that  is  English, 
whether  of  Old  or  New  England,  will  grow  only  in  the  polders  of 
the  Netherlands,  in  sight  of  Doggerbank  and  the  Thames.  The 
prejudices  of  the  fatherland  do  not  flourish  in  Creole  soil. 

9* 


202  PRISON    OF   WELTEVKEDEN. 

I  have  not  ventured  to  remonstrate  with  the  Resident  about 
his  suspicions;  but  I  have  endeavored  to  reason  with  my  brother 
officers  upon  the  absurdity  of  supposing,  that  a  mighty  and  en 
lightened  republic,  like  the  United  States  of  America,  where 
every  thing  diplomatic  is  done  so  openly,  because  strength  is 
always  straightforward  and  open,  should  resort  to  the  petty 
espionage  once  practised  between  states  of  old  Europe. 

My  brother  officers  from  Holland,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  are  far 
from  being  equal  to  the  standard  of  British  officers  in  India,  in 
point  of  education  and  general  information ;  and  this  ignorance 
is  accompanied  with  strong  prejudices,  strong  as  their  steadfast 
character.  Now  one  of  these  prejudices,  strengthened  by  all 
Dutch  journals,  is  that  the  government  and  people  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  are  watching  intently  to  get  possession,  not 
only  of  Cuba,  but  of  Java,  Sumatra,  Borneo ;  and  every  other 
island,  rich  or  valueless,  which  is  the  property  of  any  one  else. 

These  are  absurdities ;  but  you  must  expect  to  be  disturbed 
by  their  influence,  wherever  Dutchmen  have  any  sway  or  influence 
in  these  islands ;  therefore,  if  you  wish  to  study  the  people  of  the 
Archipelago  undisturbed,  you  must  go  farther  north  on  the  island ; 
or  to  the  north-eastern  coast  of  Borneo. 

I  had  resolved  to  go  a  little  farther  north,  to  the  Sultanate  of 
Jambee ;  but  the  remarks  of  the  Major,  and  all  that  I  had  heard 
from  others,  led  me  to  think  that  it  would  be  my  best  policy  to 
proceed  directly  to  Singapore,  and  there  arrange,  according  to 
my  early  plan,  for  my  future  cruisings  in  the  Archipelago. 

When  I  gave  orders  to  make  ready  for  departure,  my  sailing 
master  had  further  news  about  Jambee  to  communicate :  he  had 
seen  one  of  the  petty  officers  of  the  fort,  the  adjutant  Van  Steen- 
dercn,  who  had  been  to  Jambee,  who  spoke  much  of  the  wealth 


JOURNEY  TO  JAMBEE  RESOLVED  UPON.  203 

and  curious  interest  about  the  place,  and  of  the  facility  of  the 
route  thither. 

My  chief  officer  had  become  deeply  interested  in  the  account 
of  the  country ;  he  wanted  to  go  himself,  to  visit  the  land  of  the 
Korinchee,  the  Sultanate  of  Jambee,  proceed  farther  north,  through 
the  territories  of  the  Sultans  of  Siak,  Indraghiri,  and  Achin ;  and 
then  join  me  again  at  Singapore. 

A  little  more  knowledge  of  the  topography  of  Sumatra,  would 
have  convinced  us  that  such  a  land  route  was  utterly  impracti 
cable,  except  with  a  good  force  of  men,  familiar  with  the  swamp 
and  the  jungle;  and  that  such  a  force  could  not  reach  Achin  in  less 
than  four  months ;  but  the  officer  was  adventurous,  and  sanguine 
of  a  gratifying  success ;  and  I  became  wishful  to  have  my  future 
movements  in  Sumatra  determined  by  the  observations  of  an  in 
telligent  man. 

My  second  having  resolved  upon  the  adventurous  embassy, 
made  every  preparation  for  the  journey.  It  was  necessary  to 
obtain  a  guide,  a  tambangan  and  two  coolies ;  the  latter  were  easily 
procured ;  but  there  was  difficulty  in  finding  a  man  familiar  with 
any  land  route  to  Jambee.  Kiagoos  Lanang  spoke  of  the  hadjy 
Zenodeen,  who  had  a  wife  in  Jambee ;  and  as  he  now  dreaded  the 
anger  of  the  Mantri  Wira  Menggala,  on  account  of  some  transac 
tion  relating  to  the  sale  of  Aleema,  the  pantun  singer,  and  her 
sister,  to  the  Dutch  officers  •  he  would  be  glad  to  offer  his  services 
for  the  bare  means  of  reaching  the  abode  of  his  wife. 

The  hadjy,  who  had  undergone  a  great  metamorphosis  for  the 
worse  since  last  seen  on  board  the  rambayah  of  the  princess,  was 
retained  as  a  guide ;  but  when  that  matter  was  arranged,  the 
coolies  to  work  the  tambangan  objected  to  go ;  they  were  afraid  of 
tigers,  who  often  sprang  from  the  banks  of  creeks,  whose  streams 
were  narrow,  into  passing  tambangans.  Bahdoo  and  Moonchwa 


204  PRISON    OF    WELTEYltEDEN. 

volunteered  to  join  the  expedition.  I  did  not  wish  to  part  with 
them,  but  they  begged  to  go ;  the  master  desired  to  have  them ; 
and  I  reluctantly  consented  to  part  with  my  Malay  followers. 

Some  introduction  or  passport  was  required,  and  I  instructed 
my  Malay  secretary  to  prepare  a  general  letter,  addressed  to  the 
chief  sovereign  princes  of  the  north  of  Sumatra ;  and  one  in  par 
ticular  to  the  Sultan  of  Jambee ;  and  with  vocabulary  in  hand,  I 
endeavored  to  communicate  these  words  to  Kiagoos  Lanang,  which 
was  designed  to  be  the  substance  of  both. 

"  I ,  residing  in  the  great  land  of  America,  send  greetings 

to  the  lord  Sultan  who  rules  over  the  empire  of  Jambee.  This 
writing  will  be  brought  into  your  presence,  by  the  chief  officer 
commanding  my  vessel ;  a  man  of  truth  and  skill,  in  whose  words 
and  knowledge  I  have  great  confidence.  He  will  speak  of  the  great 
land  from  whence  I  come ;  of  the  wealth  and  power  of  America, 
and  of  the  friendly  dispositions  of  the  American  people  towards 
his  Highness  of  Jambee.  He  will  inform  my  lord  Sultan  of  my 
wish  to  visit  the  Kraton  at  Jambee,  that  I  may  present  some  gifts, 
and  sentiments  of  friendship  to  his  Highness.  Therefore  my  lord 
Sultan  will  be  pleased  to  give  orders  to  his  officers,  that  the  bearer 
of  this  may  be  allowed  to  dwell  for  a  time  with  peace  and  com 
fort  in  the  territory  of  Jambee;  and  afterwards,  when  he  shall 
have  accomplished  his  desire,  to  be  permitted  to  go  his  way  with 
out  molestation." 

Whilst  engaged  in  my  cabin  with  Kiagoos  Lanang,  and  be 
fore  the  dictation  of  the  letter  was  completed,  the  Balinese  captain 
came  on  board  to  remind  me  of  an  engagement  to  attend  a  great 
Chinese  wedding  feast,  that  afternoon,  which  I  had  forgotten ; 
for  I  was  invited  daily  to  many  feasts  by  the  natives  of  rank. 
The  Balinese  urged  immediate  departure  with  him  in  his  boat. 
The  Chinaman  was  very  wealthy,  and  distinguished  among  his 


LETTER  TO  THE  SULTAN  OP  JAMBEE.  205 

countrymen  :  he  had  made  large  preparations  for  a  feast  that  would 
show  the  abundance  and  luxury  of  Palembang ;  and  he  had  spoken 
to  the  Balinese  about  his  great  desire  to  have  the  American 
captain  for  a  guest. 

The  master  had  wished  to  start  that  afternoon ;  but  I  request 
ed  him  to  delay  his  departure  till  early  the  next  morning.  I  gave 
directions  to  the  secretary  to  complete  the  letter  with  all  the  appro 
priate  preamble  and  style,  which  I  could  not  dictate,  to  be  ready 
for  my  signature  at  an  early  hour  in  the  evening,  when  I  expected 
to  return  from  the  Chinese  wedding. 


TWENTY-SIXTH  DAY. 

Rows  of  little  balloon  tops  and  paper  globes,  pictured  with 
out,  lighted  within,  and  dancing  about  in  the  evening  breeze,  or 
swung  to  and  fro,  by  the  rising  and  falling  stream,  pointed  out 
the  wealthy  Chinese  rakit  on  the  river ;  and  the  clang  of  gongs, 
and  the  ding  dong  of  bells,  told  of  the  Chinese  feast  within.  I 
met  my  merry,  fat  friend,  Oey  Soch  Tchay,  as  I  stepped  from  the 
tarnbangan :  he  was  a  relative  of  the*  host,  whom  I  saw  behind 
him,  a  thin  intelligent-looking  Chinaman,  standing  in  the  doorway 
of  the  rakit,  bowing  and  smiling ;  and  I  was  introduced  to  Oey 
Tsee  Yang,  who  celebrated  the  marriage  of  a  daughter. 

The  feasting  room  was  large  :  two  hundred  persons,  and  more, 
moved  about  within  it :  and  not  Chinese  alone ;  for  mingled  with 
the  glossy  heads  and  pigtails,  were  to  be  seen  the  Malay  kabyah 
and  golden  kriss  sheath ;  and  even  two  or  three  Arab  turbans. 
The  profusion  of  colored  lights,  dancing  amid  clouds  of  burning 
frankincense,  gave  a  softer  shade  to  swarthy  skins,  and  threw  a 
mantle  of  peculiar  Eastern  pomp  over  the  festive  scene. 

A  number  of  Malay  women,  old  and  young,  handsome  and 
ugly,  and  all  richly  dressed,  sat  in  a  row  upon  mats  on  one  side  of 
the  room,  immediately  behind  a  band  of  musicians,  also  seated 
on  the  floor,  who  struck  little  bells  on  boards  like  a  dulcimer, 
touched  the  strings  of  the  kechapee,  tingled  the  triangle,  and 
beat  on  the  gandaarang  a  noisy  thrum,  whilst  the  women  with 


ORDER  OF  THE  CHINESE  FEAST.  207 

lively  good  humor  nodded  and  smiled  to  male  friends,  that  moved 
about  on  the  floor. 

The  doorway,  and  other  open  parts  of  the  room,  were  crowded 
with  the  peering  faces  of  coolies  of  the  house,  and  servants  .of  the 
guests.  After  I  had' entered,  the  master  of  the  feast  gave  an  order ; 
a  rush  was  made  by  outsiders,  men  and  women,  who  quickly  re 
turned  with  small  round  tables,  eight  placed  in  two  rows,  and  a 
ninth  at  the  head :  low  stools  were  arranged,  smoking  bowls 
brought  in,  and  Oey  Tsce  Yang  approached,  and  invited  me  to  a 
seat  at  the  table,  at  the  head  of  the  room. 

Choose  your  friends ;  he  said.  The  Balinese  explained,  that 
certain  especial  guests  presided  at  each  table,  and  they  chose  their 
own  company.  I  placed  Oey  Soch  Tchay  to  my  right ;  his  friend 
Pood  Djang  next  to  him :  on  my  left  I  placed  a  Chino-Malay,  a 
stout  middle-aged  man,  called  Tchoon  Long,  who  had  come  sev 
eral  times  to  speak  with  me  on  board  the  Flirt :  next  to  him  was 
Teo  Chan  Beng,  whose  singing  Fair  Night  sat  with  the  row  of 
women,  and  two  other  Chinamen,  the  owners  of  ships  and  junks  in 
the  river,  filled  the  circle  of  my  table. 

The  Malays  of  rank,  who  would  not  eat  with  the  Chinese, 
moved  about  among  the  tables,  with  a  great  deal  of  good  humor, 
chatting  with  those  who  were  seated.  The  master  of  the  house 
walked  among  his  promenading  guests ;  young  Chinamen,  richly 
dressed,  and  evidently  relatives  of  those  seated,  waited  upon  the 
tables ;  and  whilst  we  eat,  the  musicians  played  livelier  and  louder 
strains ;  and  before  them  stood  up  a  group  of  men  and  women  to 
perform  the  wayang. 

The  viands,  mostly  fowls,  birds  and  fish,  cooked  into  shreds, 
and  mingled  with  rice,  sago,  tripang,  beans,  and  fruits,  were 
brought  in  course,  one  large  bowl  at  a  time,  out  of  which  each 
guest  with  a  small  porcelain  ladle,  filled  the  bowl  or  saucer  in  his 


208  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

hand ;  and  then  with  chopsticks  of  ivory,  silver  tipped,  made  rapid 
disposition  of  rice  and  bean,  grain  by  grain ;  and  the  minutest 
fragment  of  shredded  meat,  tripang,  or  fruit. 

Between  each  dish  the  mild,  warm,  fragrant  tchoo  was  poured 
by  assiduous  Ganymedes,  in  pigtails,  into  small,  thimble-top  gob 
lets  of  excessive  thinness,  like  the  half  of  a  bubble  upon  a  tulip 
stem ;  and  as  Soch  Tchay  explained,  it  would  seem  that  the  Chi 
nese  of  Palembang  had  made  some  study  of  the  natural  philoso 
phy  involved  in  the  mode  of  taking,  as  well  as  in  the  manner  of 
preparing  their  diet  and  drink.  Every  bowl  and  cup  was  reputed 
to  have  peculiar  properties  for  giving  a  higher  zest  to  the  solids 
and  fluids  of  food. 

When  the  chief  dish,  the  kimlo,  the  olla  podrida  of  Chinamen 
was  brought,  Pood  Djang,  who  was  the  wag  of  the  company,  first 
tasted  of  it;  and  giving  a  smack  of  approval,  assured  me  that 
there  was  only  a  little  of  dog  in  it,  but  very  young  and  very  black ; 
and  young  black  dog  was  good.  Not  so,  said  Soch  Tchay,  frown 
ing  upon  his  friend  at  his  joke ;  we  eat  no  dog  in  Palembang :  too 
great  a  plenty  of  chicken  and  bird.  And  I  do  not  think  that 
canine  steaks  or  chops  form  any  portion  of  "  celestial "  diet  in  that 
city. 

A  youth  approached  with  a  large  golden  goblet,  a  dish  of 
especial  compliment,  accompanied  by  the  host.  This  was  quah,  a 
thick  pottage,  which  contained  some  of  the  famous  bird-nest,  the 
wax-like  cells  prepared  by  the  little  laweet  in  ocean  caves,  chiefly 
of  Java.  Memories  of  mutton  chops !  what  was  here !  the  bed 
where  eggs  were  laid,  and  hatched,  and  which  gaping  fledglings 
had  fouled  many  a  day  before,  to  be  offered  to  my  civilized  stomach 
as  the  chief  luxury  of  an  oriental  feast ! 

But  Oey  Tsee  Yang  explained ;  he  had  a  piece  of  raw  nest  to 
show ;  clean,  white,  and  waxy,  of  a  dim  shade  like  opium :  this  was 


BIRD-NEST    EATEN    BY    CHINESE.  209 

from  a  nest  just  built :  rich  Chinamen  did  not  eat  of  those,  that 
had  been  soiled  by  a  single  egg ;  these  new  ones  were  very  costly, 
worth  more  than  their  weight  in  silver,  one  dollar  and  a  half  an 
ounce ;  and  the  older  kind,  those  stained  by  a  brood  of  young, 
were  worth  one  half  that  price.  The  Dutch  gain  great  revenues, 
many  hundred  thousands  of  dollars,  from  the  nest  of  the  ocean 
swallow.  The  raw  nest, — I  tasted  of  it, — was  almost  tasteless 
on  the  tongue,  like  any  unseasoned  gelatine. 

Poor  little  laweet,  why  was  it  robbed  of  the  home  so  carefully 
wrought ;  made  of  the  weedy  gum  sought  in  clefts  of  storm-washed 
coral,  dissolved  and  wrought  in  the  throat,  disgorged,  and  then, 
with  plastic  bill,  made  into  the  spheric  cell  beneath  the  rocky  eave 
of  some  deep  wave-beaten  cave,  where  the  little  young  should 
lay ;  why  was  this, — the  home  of  the  myriad  laweets  of  the  Java 
shore,  so  cruelly  stolen  away  ? 

Chinaman  is  made  strong  by  bird-nest,  said  Oey  Soch  Tchay : 
it  makes  him  fat,  it  makes  him  live  a  long  time.  I  saw  a  quizzi 
cal  look  in  the  face  of  Pood  Djang :  he  leaned  back,  and  motion 
ing  to  me  to  approach  my  ear,  he  whispered,  casting  a  side  wink 
at  his  friend  Tchay ;  that  bird-nest  was  good  to  give  old  man 
handsome  face  to  please  young  wife. 

The  ronggengs  postured,  sang  and  raged  in  the  wayang ;  and 
while  tchoo  was  sipped,  all  eyes  and  ears  were  turned  towards  the 
music  and  the  dance,  all  but  those  of  Tchoon  Long :  he  looked 
grave  and  thoughtful ;  he  had  none  of  the  sensual,  Chinese  look, 
and  his  thick  hair  was  not  plaited  into  the  long  queue ;  but  club 
bed  up  behind.  He  asked  me  about  my  departure,  and  the  port 
to  which  I  designed  to  steer. 

He  had  wished  to  speak  to  me  often ;  but  so  many  people  had 
always  surrounded  me,  when  he  approached.  He  went  on  to  speak 
about  a  great  man  in  Palembang,  Ferdano  Mantri  Krama  Djaya, 


210  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

/ 

the  former  vizier  of  the  Sultan  Badrooclin ;  and  had  fought  bravely 
against  the  Dutch,  till  the  capture  of  his  master,  when  he  made 
peace,  and  became  a  steadfast  friend  of  the  Company. 

The  people  loved  him  very  much ;  the  people  of  Palembang, 
an<l  the  people  of  Passumah.  His  body  was  tall  and  strong;  his 
face  was  clean  (open),  and  his  heart  was  white  (true) :  he  fed  two 
thousand  poor  men,  women  and  children  every  day  :  they  sang  his 
praises ;  his  fame  was  very  great ;  and  from  the  eastern  sea  to  the 
western  sea,  the  people  of  Pulo  Percha  said,  how  great  and  how 
good  is  Ferdano  Mantri. 

The  Company  did  not  like  to  hear  this :  they  wanted  no  one  to 
be  great,  but  those  whom  they  made  great.  They  wished  to  make 
Ferdano  Mautri  very  little,  to  make  him  their  slave ;  but  they 
had  not  strength  enough  to  bend  his  proud  neck.  The  ular 
girang,  the  great  serpent  could  not  seize  the  alaug  in  the  air :  he 
lured  him  into  his  den. 

Ferdano  Mantri  received  presents  and  compliments  from  Resi 
dent  de  Brauw ;  who  wished  to  see  the  good  chief  at  the  fort,  to 
show  him  a  beautiful  fire  ship,  the  Arjuuo,  which  the  rajah  of  Hol 
land  had  sent  to  Pulo  Percha.  The  confiding  man  came,  some 
friends  said  beware ;  "  what  have  I  to  fear,"  said  the  brave  Man 
tri,  "  beneath  the  flag  of  the  Company,  which  I  have  served  with 
good  faith  and  good  service  so  many  years." 

He  saw  the  great  iron  bowels  of  the  ship :  the  mighty  limbs 
whirling  round  and  rising  up,  the  fire  and  the  smoke,  the  huge 
cannon,  and  the  smaller  things  of  war.  He  went  into  the  chamber 
of  the  chief  captain :  he  admired  the  carving  and  the  varnish  of 
the  workmen  of  Holland.  He  came  on  deck  to  depart ;  the  great 
<l:i \ougs  were  beating  the  water,  the  Arjuno  walked  down  the 
stream ;  and  the  chief  captain  said,  that  the  great  man  at  Batavia 
wished  to  see  Ferdauo  Mantri 


TREACIIEJIY    OF    DE    BRAUW    TO    FERDANO    MANTRI.  211 

Great  and  good  man,  beloved  of  the  people  of  Palembang  and 
the  Passumah :  the  Dutch  have  put  chains  upon  him  at  Krawang 
in  Java.  His  children,  his  relations,  and  a  hundred  thousand 
people  pray  to  Allah  for  his  return.  Prayers  alone  will  not  bring 
him  back,  but  there  are  many  hundred  thousand  rupees  placed  in 
safe  hands  at  Singapore,  to  be  paid  to  him,  who  will  go  with  a  ship, 
and  some  brave  men,  and  bring  Ferdano  Mantri  back  to  Palem 
bang. 

Tchoon  Long  had  whispered  these  last  words  into  my  ear, 
although  all  the  company  at  my  table  had  moved  beyond  hearing ; 
as  he  raised  his  head  he  looked  intently  at  a  burly  Malay  chieftain : 
he  spoke  of  him ;  he  was  a  Tumunggung,  a  chieftain  of  the  third 
rank,  called  Nora  "Wangsa,  a  man  with  a  bad  heart,  who  spoke 
fair  words  to  strangers ;  but .  was  a  spy  for  the  Company,  and 
would  report  all  that  I  did  or  said  to  the  Resident.  This  man 
had  not  been  looking  at  the  wayaug ;  he  had  often  come  very  near, 
and  tried  to  hear  our  words. 

Tchoon  Long  had  seen  both  of  my  servants,  Bahdoo  and 
Moonchwa,  at  the  house  of  Nora  Wangsa.  But  why  should  the 
Tumunggung  spy,  since  I  had  such  great  confidence  in  the  Resi 
dent  ?  I  had  taken  into  my  cabin  the  servant  and  the  oppas,  of 
the  house  of  De  Brauw  at  Padang.  I  was  startled  at  these  state 
ments  of  Tchoon  Long  ;  I  asked  him  to  explain.  He  then  said, 
that  Bahdoo  was  formerly  a  servant  of  De  Brauw,  and  a  police 
man  at  Padang ;  and  that  Moonchwa  was  the  valet  of  De  Brauw, 
during  his  late  expedition  to  the  Ampat  Lawang.  Bahdoo  and 
Moonchwa  were  plotting  a  bad  deed. 

I  was  astounded  at  this  latter  news ;  after  a  while,  I  moved 
to  look  at  the  play,  and  spoke  to  the  Balinese  captain  about  what 
I  heard  concerning  my  servants :  he  scouted  at  the  story ;  said 
those  half-breed  Chinamen  were  the  greatest  thieves  in  the  place  : 


212  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

this  one  wanted  to  rob  or  cheat  me ;  or  perhaps  would  be  on  board 
my  vessel  next  day,  to  beg  a  little  American  pork  and  potatoes ; 
as  a  present,  in  exchange  for  something  promised  by  him,  which  he 
would  forget  to  send.  The  Balinese  captain  knew  that  Bahdoo 
had  been  living  for  the  last  ten  years  at  Minto. 

I  had  paid  little  attention  before,  to  the  Captain's  general 
denunciations  of  every  one,  Dutch,  Malay  or  half-breed ;  but  some 
of  his  remarks  in  this  case  striking  me  as  very  just,  I  felt  disposed 
to  doubt  the  stories  of  Tchoon  Long;  and  when  he  came  to  speak 
to  me  again  about  Tumunggung,  Moonchwa  and  Bahdoo,  I  turned 
from  him  and  joined  my  Chinese  friends. 

Oey  Tsee  Yang  was  told  of  my  wish  to  see  the  bride  and  her 
groom.  None  but  the  nearest  male  relatives  were  allowed  such  a 
privilege ;  he  wished  to  do  me  all  possible  honor ;  and  I  should 
see  his  daughter.  This  was  the  third  day  of  a  festivity,  that 
lasted  as  many  days  more ;  the  ceremonial  had  been  performed ; 
the  young  people  were  joined  together ;  but  still  were  strangers 
to  each  other ;  they  had  a  grievous  ritual  of  fasting  and  silence  to 
perform,  before  being  left  to  their  happiness  alone. 

I  was  led  to  a  curtained  doorway  :  the  yellow  folds  were  part 
ed,  and  I  passed  at  the  threshold  between  two  old  women,  seated 
on  mats;  then  I  saw  before  me,  in  the  centre  of  the  room,  seated 
beneath  rich  canopies,  the  bride  and  her  groom :  she  was  covered 
with  jewels ;  her  head,  ears,  neck,  arms  and  waist,  was  a  mass 
of  rich  lace,  ribbon,  and  silken  fringe,  obscuring  a  very  pleasing 
half  Malay,  half  Chinese  face  of  good  race. 

The  groom  was  dressed  in  a  rich  fantastic  costume,  not  com 
monly  worn ;  he  was  half  Malay,  and  a  handsome  youth.  They  were 
a  well  matched,  interesting-looking  couple ;  but  the  pleasure  of 
beholding  them  was  greatly  spoiled,  by  seeing  their  pained  looks, 
as  they  sat  still  as  the  dead,  and  knowing  that  they  had  sat  thus  all 


ALEEMA,  THE  RONGGENG.  213 

day,  without  eating  a  mouthful,  without  stirring,  without  speaking, 
and  not  daring  even  to  take  a  glance  upward ;  for  there  the  old 
women  watched  lynx-eyed,  to  prevent  the  slightest  relaxation  of 
the  painful  ritual ; — like  the  sex  every  where,  Christian,  Moslem,  or 
Pagan,  conservative  guardians  of  all  ceremony,  religious  or  social. 

When  I  returned  to  the  main  room,  the  music  and  song  was 
loud  and  lively.  I  drew  near  to  the  performers  of  the  wayang ;  I 
now  saw  that  Aleema,  whom  I  had  met  at  the  fort,  and  on  board 
the  rambayah,  was  one  of  the  number.  I  was  a  little  disappointed. 
I  had  seen  her  at  first,  as  the  hapless  innocent  victim,  next  as  a 
retainer  of  the  princess,  and  now,  as  a  hired  ronggeng,  at  a  China 
man's  house. 

I  spoke  to  Teo  Chan  Beng,  who  was  a  great  musical  and 
dramatic  authority  at  Palembang.  He  had  not  seen  the  ronggeng, 
pointing  to  Aleema,  before.  She  was  a  stranger  in  Palembang : 
she  had  fled  from  some  one  in  the  interior,  and  had  lately  entered 
the  house  of  Tumunggung  Nora  Wangsa ;  who  was  patron,  also, 
of  another  singing  girl  present,  called  Sahdeeah.  He  received  a 
large  portion  of  their  gains  at  festivals,  for  the  protection,  he 
afforded  them,  as  Chief.  A  Malay  impresario. 

When  the  wayang  had  ceased,  the  young  girls,  who  sang,  ap 
proached  the  chief  guests,  and  presented  them  with  portions  of 
the  wreaths  of  the  small  fragrant  white  flowers  which  had  adorned 
their  head  and  neck ;  and  then  received  a  gift  in  return.  Aleema 
came  to  me ;  and  as  she  removed  some  flowers  from  her  hair,  and 
arranged  them  to  hand  to  me,  she  said  in  a  whisper :  "  Hadjy  is 
bad,  will  hurt  Tuan,  his  servants  are  bad,  saying  bad  things  of 
Tuan  at  house  of  Tumunggung." 

The  young  girl  stepped  quickly  away,  and  the  wayang  began 
again.  I  could  stay  no  longer.  I  felt  a  cold  chill  creep  over  my 
heart.  Old  stories  of  Malay  treachery  and  assassination  came  to 


214  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

inind :  I  had  not  heeded  the  words  of  Tclioon  Long,  I  had  often 
met  with  treason  in  men,  but  would  not  believe  that  it  existed  in 
woman ;  and  I  was  aroused  by  the  warning  of  Alccnia. 

I  broke  away  from  the  pressings  to  stay,  of  my  host  and  his 
friends,  and  returned  with  the  Balinese  Captain  on  board  my  ves 
sel.  I  had  greatly  overstayed  the  time  I  proposed.  Midnight  was 
past.  Kiagoos  Lanang  was  alone  in  the  cabin ;  he  met  me  with 
a  letter  in  his  hand,  the  one  prepared  for  the  mate.  I  had  forgot 
ten  all  about  it,  and  the  journey  to  Jambee;  absorbed  by  thoughts 
of  what  I  had  just  seen  and  heard,  I  paid  little  heed  to  the  paper 
in  his  hand,  except  to  glance  at  its  general  appearance ;  I  begun 
to  think  that  the  Malay  missive  would  not  be  needed,  as  I  was 
inclined  to  suggest  to  my  officer  to  abandon  his  contemplated  expe 
dition  ;  but  he  not  being  there  when.  I  came  on  board,  I  sat  down 
at  the  request  of  my  secretray  to  listen  to  what  he  had  written. 

I  could  not  then  read  the  Arab-Malay  script,  in  which  the 
letter  was  written ;  I  knew  not  a  single  character  of  its  alphabet ; 
and  even  when  read,  I  could  only  distinguish  a  few  common  Ma 
lay  words  among  the  high  Court  Malay  of  the  communication. 
Kiagoos  Lanang  was  very  anxious  to  explain  that  he  had  followed 
my  dictation  exactly.  Whilst  thus  engaged,  the  sailing  master 
came  on  board :  he  had  been  calling  upon  some  friends,  mates  of 
vessels  in  the  river,  to  obtain  two  or  three  cutlasses  and  muskets, 
and  a  little  ammunition  for  his  defence  on  the  journey. 

I  spoke  of  my  suspicions ;  of  what  I  had  heard  :  he  was  incredu 
lous  ;  what  could  be  the  plot  ?  to  murder  him  on  the  way  ?  that 
was  not  reasonable,  as  he  would  have  no  money,  no  presents,  and 
nothing  to  pay  for  the  trouble  of  killing  him  :  did  I  apprehend  the 
cutting  out  of  my  vessel  by  a  piratical  party,  aided  by  traitors  on 
bourd  ?  Then  my  best  plan  was  to  get  rid  of  my  suspected  ser 
vants  by  letting  them  go  with  him : — wait  till  the  Bali  barque  was 


THE  PARTY  THAT  STARTED  FOR  JAMBEE.         215 

ready  to  start;  or  better  still,  propose  to  take  some  passengers, 
officers  and  soldiers,  who  were  waiting  for  a  vessel  to  go  to  Minto. 

Thus  we  had  no  supposition  of  evil,  except  from  the  natives. 
I  felt  somewhat  rallied  again,  and  began  to  recall  my  good  opinion 
of  Bahdoo,  whom  I  had  treated  very  kindly,  and  taught  to  con 
sider  himself  a  man,  an  equal  with  any  one  on  board  my  ship, 
and  not  a  crouching  slave.  I  had  indeed,  perhaps  unwisely,  be 
stowed  too  freely  my  Suniatran  sympathies  upon  Bahdoo  Moon- 
chwa,  and  Kiagoos  Lanang. 

Whilst  we  talked,  my  cook  and  cabin  waiter  along  with  the 
hadjy,  returned  in  the  tambangan.  I  asked  Bahdoo  if  he  wished 
to  rejoin  me  at  Singapore :  he  said  vehemently  that  he  would  go 
away  with  a  little  heart,,  if  he  thought  he  should  not  meet  with 
his  master  again.  I  was  moved  by  the  fellow's  earnestness,  my 
suspicions  were  dispelled,  and  I  began  to  feel  loth  to  part  with 
him ;  but  my  officer  had  set  his  heart  upon  going  to  Jambee,  to 
start  that  morning ;  and  other  guides  and  aids  could  not  then  be 
obtained. 

When  getting  ready  to  start,  I  observed  something  sinister  in 
the  looks  of  Moonchwa  and  the  hadjy,  as  they  whispered  together. 
My  suspicions  were  a  little  aroused,  I  thought  of  the  helpless  state 
of  a  man — one  of  my  own  race,  who  had  been  a  faithful  navigator 
and  an  intelligent  companion,  in  my  cabin,  during  a  long  and 
most  interesting  cruise.  I  thought  of  his  helpless  state,  if  de 
serted  by  the  natives  in  the  forest,  swarming  with  wild  beasts. 

I  proposed  that  a  sailor,  if  willing,  should  go  with  the  officer : — 
he  would  be  heartily  glad  of  such  an  addition  to  his  company. 
The  men  in  the  forecastle  were  roused  up : — the  expedition  was 
explained ;  this  was  the  first  time  they  had  heard  of  it.  A  stout 
active  young  sailor,  known  on  board  as  Yankee  Jim,  quickly 
volunteered  to  go ;  he  had  run  away  from  his  ship,  on  th'e  coast  of 


216  PRISON    OP   WELTEVREDEN. 

Brazil,  and  crossed  the  continent  to  Peru :  he  was  just  made  for 
a  cruise  in  the  brush,  he  said ;  and  the  brave,  adventurous  fellow 
was  ready,  kit  and  all,  in  twenty  minutes,  for  the  exploration  of 
the  jungles  of  Sumatra.  If  I  had  had  only  two  dozen  of  such 
men,  I  should  not  now  have  been  telling  you  this  story. 

The  tambangan  was  ready ;  the  provision,  and  the  accoutre 
ments  for  the  journey,  were  on  board.  Bahdoo  became  faint-heart 
ed  ;  he  did  not  wish  to  go ;  but  Moonchwa  urged  him :  and  the 
Malays  got  into  the  little  craft.  I  felt  some  emotion  on  parting 
with  my  faithful  officer,  and  brave  sailor.  Should  we  meet  on  the 
deck  of  our  gallant  little  ship  again  ?  God  bless  you,  Captain. 
God  bless  you,  old  Flirt,  said  the  sailor  with  choked  words. 

The  tambangan  shoved  off;  I  entered  my  cabin  with  a  heavy 
heart,  and  lay  down  on  the  transom,  to  take  a  little  rest,  without 
undressing,  for  it  was  near  the  dawn  of  day. 


TWENTY-SEVENTH  DAY. 

I  was  aroused  from  my  sleep  on  the  transom  by  one  of  my 
people,  saying  that  a  man-of-war's  boat  was  alongside.  I  sprang 
up  the  companion  way,  and  saw  the  commander  of  the  Pylades 
coming  over  the  gangway,  backed  by  a  dozen  marines.  He  hailed 
me  gruffly,  wanting  to  know  where  my  mate  had  gone ;  which  I 
did  not  think  a  matter  with  which  he  had  any  thing  to  do ;  but 
he  would  convince  me,  he  said,  that  he  had ;  and  ordered  me  and 
my  men,  who  had  gathered  on  the  quarter  deck,  to  get  down  into 
his  boat. 

I  asked  him  to  tell  the  cause ;  and  to  show  his  warrant  for 
what  he  did.  He  replied  with  coarse  words.  Yankee  brigands 
should  be  strung  up,  without  the  trouble  of  showing  cause.  He 
roared  out  again  with  oaths  at  my  men,  to  get  into  his  boat.  I 
bade  them  stay.  The  three  Brazilians  I  had  shipped  at  Pernam- 
buco  slunk  away.  Two  men  stood  by  me ;  and  two  lads,  one  of 
these  the  lonely  keeper  of  the  Flirt  at  Maceio ;  and  the  other,  tho 
black  boy  who  had  come  to  rouse  me ;  a  brave  and  faithful  fellow, 
of  whom  I  shall  have  much  more  to  say,  who  now  peered  his  head 
above  the  companion-way  hatch,  the  old  carbine  in  hand,  levelled 
at  the  commander,  and  asking  for  the  word  to  fire. 

The   lieutenant  went  away  with  my  Brazilians,  saying,  ho 
10 


218  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEV. 

would  return  soon  to  put  me  in  irons,  and  my  vessel  under  the 
guns  of  the  fort.  All  this  time,  I  was  bewildered  to  know  why 
was  all  this ;  and  what  cause  of  offence  had  been  given  to  Dutch 
authorities  by  the  departure  of  my  sailing  master  to  visit  a  prince, 
entirely  independent  of  their  authority. 

Right  or  wrong,  I  was  in  the  power  of  the  Dutch ;  I  was 
above  the  fort,  and  my  force  of  hands  reduced,  yet  feeble  as  that 
was,  with  a  swift  current,  and  the  fresh  breezes  then  blowing,  if 
I  had  been  at  my  first  anchorage,  I  would  have  slipped  my 
anchor,  and  with  small  spread  of  sail,  have  bid  defiance  to  the 
swiftest  pursuit  from  Palembang :  but  now  I  had  to  pass  a  battery 
that  afforded  no  hope  of  escape ;  and  why  should  I  try  ?  I  would 
go  and  see  the  Resident ;  learn  why  I  was  molested ;  and  surren 
der  myself,  if  required,  a  prisoner  to  him. 

Whilst  on  my  way  to  the  fort,  I  was  met  by  a  message  from 
the  commander-in-chief,  desiring  me  to  remain  on  board  my  ves 
sel,  until  I  should  hear  from  him  again.  On  my  return,  I  found 
Tchoon  Long  in  my  cabin.  Tuan  will  now  see  that  I  have 
spoken  truth,  he  said.  But  how,  I  wished  to  know ;  what  had 
the  action  of  the  Dutch  lieutenant  to  do  with  the  treachery  of 
Bahdoo  and  Moonchwa  ?  : 

Look  yonder,  said  the  Chino-Malay ;  and  he  pointed  to  a  largo 
rambayah,  rapidly  descending  the  stream,  full  of  armed  men ;  and 
with  a  glass  I  could  distinguish  my  officer  and  sailor,  fast  bound 
in  their  midst.  And  what  was  the  meaning  of  this  ?  how  had  it 
happened  ?  Adah  !  said  Tchoon  Long,  European  man  was  very 
proud  and  strong  of  heart ;  and  would  not  hear  council  of  colored 
skin. 

I  told  Tuan  last  night,  that  Bahdoo  and  Moonchwa  were 
bad  ;  would  do  evil  thing.  Tuan  speaks  with  Balinese  captain ; 
and  closes  ear  to  Tchoon  Long.  Why  should  your  slave  speak 


REFUGE  OFFERED  BY  ARAB  AND  MALAY.        219 

with  double  heart  ?  He  asked  no  profit,  he  asks  none  now.  But, 
what  was  the  evil  plan  of  Bahdoo  and  Moonchwa  ?  Tchoon  Long 
did  not,  does  not  know ;  but  this  he  knows ;  they  went  to  the 
house  of  Tumunggung,  to  the  house  of  the  Assistant  Resident 
many  times,  yesterday  afternoon;  to  betray  the  commander,  to 
betray  his  officer;  how,  he  could  not  tell.  And  I  could  not 
conceive  what  was  the  nature  of  the  betrayal,  or  why  it  should 
have  been  done ;  as  I  had  made  no  secret  of  the  departure  of  the 
mate  for  Jambee. 

Tchoon  Long  said  that  Dutchmen  hung  quick ;  justice  talked 
about  the  hanging  afterwards.  "When  Col.  Poland  commanded  in 
Sumatra,  a  Chinese  son  came  to  offer  himself  to  be  hung  in  the 
place  of  his  father.  As  you  like  hanging  so  much,  said  the 
Colonel,  you  shall  hang  with  him;  and  father  and  son  dangled 
on  the  same  gallows.  Col.  de  Brauw  will  hang  as  quickly. 
Tuan  come  ashore,  among  the  people  of  Ferdano  Mantri  to-night, 
they  will  take  Tuan  down  the  river ;  they  will  get  a  prahu  on  the 
Banyoo  Assin ;  take  Tuan  to  Singapore ;  and  then  he  can  return 
with  a  fire-ship,  and  many  of  his  countrymen,  to  release  Fer 
dano  Mantri,  and  regain  his  vessel  and  men  at  Palembang. 

I  could  not  imagine  a  cause,  why  I  should  resort  to  any  des 
perate  measures  to  escape  with  my  person,  and  abandon  my  vessel. 
I  still  unjustly  suspected  Tchoon  Long.  Whilst  I  talked  with 
him,  a  large,  tambangan  came  alongside,  manned  by  eight  stout 
Malays,  and  two  young  Arabs  heavily  armed,  and  as  these  two 
stepped  on  deok,  I  recognized  a  man  I  had  seen  at  the  house 
of  Panyorang  Scherriff  Ali,  called  Seyd  Rachman  Alkhaaf, 
the  commander  of  a  small  vessel,  and  his  companion  was  Seyd  Ali 
Saghaaf  bin  Bafadal,  who  had  visited  me  on  board  the  schooner, 
and  received  a  present  of  some  Turkish  tobacco. 

Rachman  had  heard  from  the  Panyorang,  that  the  Tumung- 


220  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEX. 

guug  was  plotting  something  bad,  against  the  American  Captain, 
lie  did  not  know  what  it  was  yesterday ;  but  he  saw  this  morning. 
Rachman  and  Saghaaf  desired  me  to  get  into  their  tambangan, 
and  go  to  the  Arab  quarter.  Tchoon  Long  now  spoke,  and  said  I 
would  be  safer  with  the  friends  of  Ferdano  Mantri. 

I  could  not  yet  see  a  reason  to  join  Arab  or  Malay.  Whilst 
talking  in  the  cabin,  we  heard  a  shout  from  the  Malays  in  the 
tambangan.  Ali  Saghaaf  was  first  on  deck,  and  I  saw  him  leap 
over  the  schooner's  hammock  nettings  into  the  large  tamban 
gan,  that  was  shooting  by  the  quarter.  Tchoon  Long  and 
Rachman  looked  wild  and  fearful,  as  they  saw  their  tamban- 
gans  speeding  away ;  and  saw  marines,  who  had  lain  concealed,  as 
their  boat  approached,  pouring  over  the  schooner's  sides.  Sandals 
and  upper  robes  flew  off,  and  they  leaped  into  the  stream.  The 
marines  on  deck  cried  out,  others  in  a  boat  pursued.  Arab  and 
half-breed  struck  out  lustily  towards  the  swift  current  of  mid 
channel.  Fire !  said  a  brutal  voice,  I  knew.  A  volley  from 
marines ;  but  when  the  smoke  cleared  away,  I  still  saw  Arab  and 
half-breed,  rapidly  gaining  the  left  bank  of  the  Moosie. 

Whilst  still  looking  at  this  exciting  scene,  I  heard  a  hoarse, 
harsh  voice,  cry  out  with  fury,  in  bad  English ;  "  Ha'll  down  that 
flag,  you  dam  Yankee  insurrectionnaire."  I  turned  round;  and 
confronted  the  coarse  face  of  the  lieutenant  commanding  the  Py- 
lades,  red  with  passion,  and  behind  him,  scowled  and  leered  the 
foul  dark  face  of  the  Assistant  Resident  of  Palembang. 

Again  the  Dutch  officer  roared  out  his  insulting  order ;  point 
ing  to  the  ensign  that  fluttered  with  the  breeze,  on  the  flagstaff 
astern.  I  had  no  desire  to  show  a  useless  pride  or  defiance  in  my 
helpless  state ;  but  the  savage  fury  of  the  man,  and  the  memory 
of  his  past  taunts,  made  me  unmindful  of  the  risk  of  provoking 
him  to  greater  brutality.  I  said  that  having  been  accustomed  to 
give  orders  to  lieutenants,  I  bade  him  haul  down  the  flag  himselC 


ARREST    ON    BOARD    THE    FLIRT.  221 

"  Lieutenant !  "  said  lie,  with  fury ;  "  I  will  show  you,  I  com 
mand  here."  He  drew  his  sword.  I  stood  by  the  cabin  companion- 
way  hatch ;  I  seized  a  portion  of  its  sliding  top  ; — I  dropped  it 
after  a  moment's  thought,  folded  my  arms,  and  made  no  attempt  to 
parry  his  lunge ;  but  his  sword  arm  was  seized  by  a  dark  hand, 
and  then  I  saw  the  friendly  face  of  the  Shabandar.  Again  the 
lieutenant  drew  back;  the  Assistant  Resident  stood  before  him, 
and  said  that  he  must  take  his  prisoner  alive  before  the  Resident. 

The  fury  of  the  drunken  officer, — he  was  partly  intoxicated, 
must  expend  itself.  He  rushed  towards  the  flag-staif,  he  pulled 
at  the  signal  halyards,  but  the  flag  was  fast.  Why,  I  then  knew 
not,  but  the  trusty  black  boy  had  driven  a  few  tacks  into  staff  and 
bunting ;  he  seized  a  drooping  corner,  hauled  upon  it  till  it  came 
from  the  staff,  and  flung  it  overboard  astern,  where  it  hung  by  a 
shred,  trailing  in  the  water,  and  was  afterwards  brought  on  board. 

This  did  not  satisfy  the  furious  man;  he  rushed  down  into  the 
cabin ;  there  was  a  brass  gold-plated  eagle,  that  was  on  the  blue 
velvet  of  the  curtain  board  of  my  berth,  where  it  had  been  placed 
when  the  vessel  was  a  man-of-war ;  he  tore  it  from  the  velvet ; 
he  came  on  deck ;  and  with  insulting  words  about  the  "  Ameri 
can  bird  of  plunder,"  flung  it  into  the  water  in  the  presence  of 
thousands  of  natives,  now  assembled  around  the  schooner  in 
various  river  craft. 

The  drunken  man  seemed  to  become  sober  after  these  exploits. 
The  Assistant  Resident  expressed  great  regret,  that  he  was  com 
pelled  to  desire  me  to  accompany  him  as  a  prisoner  on  shore.  I 
had  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Sultan  of  Jambee,  proposing  a 
scheme  to  destroy  the  Dutch.  I  said,  that  I  had  certainly  dictated 
and  signed  a  letter,  addressed  to  the  Malay  prince  he  mentioned ; 
but  there  surely  must  be  some  other  cause  than  the  contents  of 
that  letter  for  these  high-handed  proceedings. 


222  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

Into  the  boat,"  said  the  lieutenant,  rising  up  again  into  fury; 
'  you  shall  be  shot  in  two  hours  from  this  time."  I  paid  no  more 
heed  to  the  drunken  man.  The  Assistant  Resident  bade  me  direct 
my  cabin  boy  to  select  a  few  articles  of  dress,  and  some  bed 
clothes  for  my  use.  Pirez,  or  the  Peri,  as  called  by  my  men, 
went  below ;  he  delayed  a  little,  apparently  looking  for  something. 
I  was  reckless  in  those  troublous  moments  about  what  he  got  for 
change  of  toilette.  I  bade  him  hasten  again  and  again,  with  harsh 
voice ;  but  little  did  I  think  he  was  doing  me  one  of  the  most  grate 
ful  services  of  my  life ;  of  which  I  shall  tell  you  another  time. 

Pirez  flung  up  carelessly,  through  the  sky-light,  on  to  the 
quarter  deck,  some  bed-clothes,  and  a  pillow,  which  along  with  a 
small  trunk,  were  handed  by  marines  into  the  boat  of  the  Assist 
ant  Resident,  who  desired  me  to  follow.  My  remaining  trusty 
followers  were  ordered  into  the  boat  of  the  lieutenant ;  who,  as  he 
pulled  off  towards  his  vessel,  said  he  would  have  me  shot  that 
afternoon,  or  he  would  throw  away  his  epaulettes. 

As  the  boat  of  the  Assistant  Resident  shoved  off  from  the 
schooner,  I  heard  the  heave  and  paul  of  the  windlass,  and  the 
hoarse  rustle  of  the  chain  through  the  hawser  hole, — getting  up 
the  anchor  to  move  her  under  the  guns  of  the  fort.  I  saw  through 
the  stern  lights  coarse  Dutch  faces  in  my  cabin,  and  some  peering 
over  the  bulwarks.  My  beautiful  ocean  home  was  despoiled  and 
plundered ;  but  as  I  sped  through  the  crowded  craft  of  natives, 
among  whom  I  had  lately  moved  so  proudly,  I  felt  then  my 
humbled,  helpless  state  too  much,  to  think  of  the  despoiling  and 
loss  of  my  beautiful  Flirt. 

TWENTY-EIGHTH  DAY. 

SABBATH    ON    BOaRD    THE    PALMER. 


TWENTY-NINTH  DAY. 

I  PASSED  the  same  portal  as  a  prisoner,  which  a  few  days  before  I 
had  entered  as  a  distinguished  guest ;  but  the  spirit  which  had 
entertained,  was  no  less  hostile  than  that  which  imprisoned ;  for 
the  latter  did  no  more  than  carry  out  the  work  of  espionage, 
devised  by  the  former. 

Captain  Kress,  commandant  of  the  garrison  of  the  fort,  met 
me  and  my  captors  at  the  gate ;  he  asked  in  a  harsh,  gruff  voice, 
if  any  weapons  or  papers  were  among  the  baggage,  which  some 
coolits  were  bearing  along  behind  me.  There  was  a  great  change 
in  the  tone  of  this  infantry  captain,  who  had  received  me  so 
blandly,  often  before.  It  was  the  insulting  one  of  a  tyrant  of 
small  soul,  feeling  triumph  over  a  disarmed  foe.  I  felt  reckless 
at  that  moment,  and  even  something  of  the  spirit  of  banter.  The 
day's  experience  of  excitement  and  brutality,  made  the  surliness 
of  this  man  fall  upon  me  without  force.  I  told  the  captain,  that 
I  had  the  chief  armament  of  my  cabin  in  my  trunk ;  and  a  few 
private  papers  about  my  person,  which  I  hoped  to  be  allowed  to 
retain. 

The  Dutch  officer  looked  at  me  with  an  evil  scowl  upon  his 
face.  It  was  a  grave  offence,  a  proof  of  my  piratical  character, 
to  attempt  to  enter  prison  with  concealed  weapons,  which  ought  to 
have  been  handed  to  the  magistrate  who  arrested  me.  The 


224  PRISON    OF    WELTEVKEDEN. 

Assistant  Resident,  -who  was  reflected  upon  by  this  remark,  said 
that  he  had  examined  the  trunk  before  leaving  the  vessel,  and  was 
sure  that  it  contained  no  weapon  of  any  kind ;  he  could  not  under 
stand  the  prisoner's  motive  for  saying  so :  he  had  discovered  no 
weapon  whatever  on  board,  except  an  old  rusty  carbine. 

Captain  Kress  would  examine  the  baggage  himself:  he 
ordered  the  trunk  to  be  opened.  Pirez  had  forgotten  to  give 
me  the  key,  and  a  sneer  was  added  to  the  scowl  on  the  face  of  the 
officer,  as  I  fumbled  anxiously  in  my  pockets.  Captain  Kress  did 
not  need  keys  when  overhauling  the  traps  of  pirates ;  the  lock  of 
my  trunk  was  forced,  the  lid  wrenched  open ;  and  the  contents 
taken  out,  and  fingered  and  scrutinized  with  the  keen  eye  of  an 
old  jailer, — adept  in  the  arts  of  prisoners,  who  often  hide  papers 
and  tools,  in  the  hem  of  a  garment,  or  the  sole  of  a  shoe. 

Piece  after  piece,  of  clothing  and  articles  of  toilette  are 
brought  forth ;  and  gazed  at  with  curious  eyes,  by  Dutch  soldiers 
and  Malay  coolies,  who  stand  grouped  around  the  trunk.  The 
bottom  of  it  is  reached,  and  yet  nothing  in  the  shape  of  comtra- 
band  of  war  yet  found.  Captain  Kress  scowls  darker  and  uglier 
than  before ;  he  is  about  to  speak,  but  checks  himself,  and  his  face 
lightens  up;  the  searching  soldier  has  discovered  something — a 
crack,  a  sliding  piece  at  one  end ;  he  pushes,  he  prizes,  he  presses, 
at  last  it  opens,  and  several  pieces  of  coal,  rock,  and  other  min 
eral  tumble  out,  and  there  is  something  in  a  dirty,  rusty  linen 
cloth.  It  is  heavy,  he  unfolds,  iron  appears,  and  behold  a  pistol, 
a  real  revolver  pistol. 

All  stand  back  at  the  sight  of  this.  Dutch  soldiers,  coolies 
and  magistrate,  all,  except  the  prisoner  and  Captain  Kress.  The 
latter  takes  the  weapon  in  his  hand,  with  severe  solemnity  of  look. 
He  handles  it  carefully,  and  rather  daintily :  carefully,  perhaps, 
owing  to  a  fear  of  sonic  hidden  spring  in  the  formidable  six- 


EXAMINATION    OF    BAGGAGE.  225 

shooter,  of  which  he  had  heard,  but  never  before  had  seen, — and 
daintily,  on  account  of  its  being  in  a  very  filthy  and  rusty  condi 
tion.  He  draws  back  the  hammer,  and  the  chambered  breech 
moves  slightly ;  he  wants  to  pull  trigger,  and  see  how  it  works, 
the  man  of  arms  has  become  interested.  But  the  revolving  tubes 
have  not  moved  into  right  position  for  the  hammer  to  strike.  He 
tries  various  ways,  but  the  thing  won't  work.  He  knits  his  brows, 
then  turns  towards  the  prisoner,  his  countenance  relaxes :  he  says 
not  a  word,  but  it  is  plain  to  be  seen,  that  he  would  descend 
awhile  from  his  official  severity,  and  ask  the  prisoner  to  explain 
the  working  of  the  weapon. 

,  I  took  the  revolver  in  my  hand.  It  was  one  of  the  smallest 
of  the  manufacture  of  Colt,  and  had  been  given  to  me  at  Per- 
nambuco.  I  had  amused  myself  awhile  with  it  shortly  after  leav 
ing  Brazil,  shooting  at  sea  birds.  I  laid  it  aside  for  awhile,  and 
when  I  wished  to  use  it  again,  I  found  it  so  much  impeded  with 
rust,  as  not  to  be  fit  for  use.  I  took  it  apart,  and  after  much 
labor  of  cleaning,  restored  it  again  to  its  former  condition*  An 
other  short  neglect,  rendered  it  useless  again,  and  then  I  abandoned 
all  further  attempts  to  keep  it  in  order,  and  preserved  it  alone  for 
show.  The  presentation  of  it,  had  served  to  quell  an  unruly 
demonstration  on  board  my  vessel,  when  off  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope;  but  I  had  not  had  since,  any  other  such  occasion  to 
parade  it. 

I  removed  the  breech  from  the  mandril  upon  which  it  turned, 
to  show  the  spring  and  catch,  and  principle  of  working,  but  the 
hammer  made  only  a  partial  movement.  I  saw  that  the  pistol 
was  hopelessly  rusty  and  ruined.  I  told  Captain  Kress  that  such 
was  its  condition,  that  I  had  not  attempted  to  fire  it,  for  a  long 
time ;  and  expected  not  to  have  any  use  for  it,  or  any  other  pistol, 
while  I  remained  in  the  Archipelago. 
10* 


226  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

"  What  then  did  you  mean,  sir,"  said  he,  resuming  his  stern 
ness,  "  when  you  said  that  the  chief  armament  of  your  cabin  was 
to  be  found  in  your  baggage."  I  explained,  that  I  had  another 
weapon,  a  short,  breech-loading  carbine,  which  had  been  acci 
dentally  left  on  board  my  vessel.  I  did  not  have  a  single  fire-arm 
of  any  description,  nor  did  one  belong  to  my  vessel  when  I  left 
home;  and  no  other  but  the  two  mentioned,  had  been  held  by  me, 
or  belonged  to  the  vessel,  whilst  I  had  owned  and  sailed  her. 

I  then  stated,  that  while  on  the  coast  of  Brazil,  I  had  shot 
with  the  pistol,  a  small  sea  bird  on  the  wing,  and  this  good  hit 
had  established  my  skill  as  a  marksman  among  my  crew.  But 
another  timCj  whilst  ascending  the  Soonsang,  I  had  fired  with  the 
carbine  at  a  large  alligator,  and  missed :  I  did  not  disturb  him  on 
his  log.  In  the  opinion  of  my  men,  the  failure  was  the  fault  of 
the  carbine,  and  not  of  my  hand  or  eye.  With  the  pistol  I  could 
not  have  missed,  even  at  the  same  distance.  I  was  a  sure  shot 
with  that  in  hand, — so  thought  my  men;  and  therefore  I  con 
sidered  it  the  chief  defence  of  my  cabin  against  riot  on  board. 

The  commandant  eyed  me  with  a  mingled  look  of  scrutiny  and 
incredulity.  He  turned  to  the  examining  soldier  and  said,  "  Any 
powder,  ball,  or  caps  ?  "  A  few  caps,  green  with  verdigris,  but 
not  a  grain  of  powder,  not  a  single  ball.  He  looked  puzzled,  and 
frowned  more  than  before,  and  turned  his  head  aside,  as  in  deep 
thought,  then  suddenly  fixed  a  searching  gaze  upon  me.  He 
seemed  to  debate  in  his  mind,  whether  I  had  been  playing  with 
him  or  not.  He  spoke  in  an  undertone  with  the  Assistant  Resi 
dent,  then  turned  quickly  upon  me  and  said,  "  Those  papers,  pro 
duce  them."  I  hesitated,  I  wished  to  explain ; — no  parley,  I  must 
produce  them  at  once. 

I  drew  forth  a  little  silk  bag,  hung  around  my  neck,  in  which 
during  the  excitement  of  the  day  I  had  put  a  few  relics  of  dear 


HOME    MEMORIES. 


227 


ties,  some  fragments  of  home ;  and  chief  of  these  was  a  slip  of 
paper  worn  and  stained,  on  which  was  a  dim  red  print  of  the  hand 
and  foot  of  a  child  and  these  words  :  "  The  hand  and  foot  of  my 
Lucy  sent  from  home  in  South  Carolina,  to  show  me  how  much 
my  child  had  grown." 

Captain  Kress  took  the  slip  from  my  hand ;  he  read  the  words ; 
he  scrutinized  the  print  like  the  plan  of  a  fortress;  he  looked  at 
the  creases  and  lines  of  the  small  fat  foot,  the  plump,  round,  baby 
palm,  and  the  little  taper  fingers.  That  harsh  face  relaxed :  per 
haps  there  were  memories  of  a  home  by  the  Schclde,  and  of  some 
precious  baby  feet  and  hands,  beating  against  his  heart. 

Captain  Kress  handed  the  slip  of  paper  with  the  print,  to  me, 
and  the  pistol  to  the  assistant  Resident.  He  said  a  word  to  the 
.guard,  they  moved  forward,  and  led  me  to  the  prison  cells  of  the 
fort. 


THIRTIETH  DAY. 

I  WAS  placed  in  the  hospital  ward  of  the  fort,  in  a  small  room, 
about  thirteen  feet  long,  by  ten  wide.  What  a  change  from  my 
good  little  ship,  from1  my  commodious  cabin,  with  its  many  plea 
sant  comforts,  from  the  prospect  of  an  untrammelled  range  among 
lovely  isles,  and  shining  tranquil  seas,  and  from  many  cher 
ished  hopes  and  purposes.  What  a  change  from  all  this,  to  four 
narrow,  dreary  walls,  a  damp  tile  floor,  a  grated  aperture  for  light 
and  air,  a  sentry  at  the  door,  and  in  the  hands  of  dull,  gloomy 
Dutch  despotism. 

The  sun  had  gone  down,  darkness  had  set  in,  and  a  soldier 
entered  my  room  with  a  rude  lamp  in  his  hand,  a  small  burning 
wick  of  white  pith  floating  in  a  tin  cup,  filled  with  cocoa-nut  oil, 
and  he  had  some  rice,  beans,  a  yam,  and  a  little  fish  curry  for  my 
evening  meal.  This  man's  face  had  a  pleasant  expression.  Whilst 
arranging  the  articles  he  had  brought,  he  gave  me  a  look  that  said 
he  had  something  to  say ;  but  the  sentinel  was  standing  in  the 
doorway,  and  observing  us  closely.  A  sound  of  voices  was  heard 
in  the  outer  court,  which  drew  off  the  attention  of  the  sentinel 
for  a  moment,  and  instantly,  the  soldier  whispered  to  me  in 
French  :  "  There  are  friends  about ;  lie  down  soon,  but  don't 
undress.  Trust  in  me,  I  am  a  Frenchman." 

There  was  comfort  in  the  voice  of  the  Frenchman,  whom  the 
sentinel  called  Bois,  and  shortly  after  he  left  I  had  fully  recovered 
my  composure  of  mind,  as  the  Resident  and  the  Assistant  Resi- 


IN    PRISON    AT    TALEMBANG.  229 

dent  were  announced.  Col.  de  Brauw  met  me  with  an  expression 
of  regret,  that  he  should  have  been  compelled  to  change  his  late 
character  of  my  host  to  that  of  my  jailer;  a  change  brought  about 
by  my  own  doing.  He  had  understood  that  I  wished  to  speak 
with  him ;  and  had  come  to  hear  what  I  had  to  say. 

I  had  wished  to  speak  with  him  when  free  on  board  my  vessel : 
now  I  had  no  longer  to  deal  with  the  Resident  of  Palembang, 
but  with  the  supreme  authority  of  Netherland  India,  which  would 
have  to  deal  with  my  Government. 

The  Resident  assumed  a  very  friendly  tone.  What  could  I 
have  hoped  to  have  effected  with  the  Sultan  of  Jambee  ?  He 
was  a  vicious  Malay  slave,  who  would  have  robbed  and  assassi 
nated  me,  as  soon  as  I  had  come  within  his  power.  I  answered 
nothing ;  and  the  Resident  and  Assistant  Resident  left  me. 

The  guard  was  relieved,  and  the  man  placed  at  'my  door,  was 
disposed  to  converse.  An  oppas  came,  he  whispered  to  the  sentinel ; 
and  after  a  little  parley,  a  small  basket  was  handed  to  me : — sent 
by  one  I  may  never  see  again  ;  and  whom  I  thank  at  this  moment. 
There  was  a  dainty  feast  inside,  a  roasted  bird,  fried  plantains,  some 
mangosteens  and  dookoos,  most  refreshing  at  that  time ;  and  a  bottle 
of  wine,  with  which  I  allowed  the  sentinel  to  make  free;  and 
this  made  us  very  good  friends,  whilst  he  was  on  guard. 

He  told  me,  that  my  sailing  master,  and  the  sailor  who  went 
with  him,  were  confined  in  an  opposite  quarter  of  the  fort ;  the 
rest  of  my  sailors  were  on  board  the  Pylades.  The  commander 
of  the  gun  brig  was  desperate  against  me.  He  had  urged  the 
Resident  to  have  me  shot ;  the  Assistant  Resident  was  said  to  be 
willing;  but  Major  Blommestien  had  stood  up  for  me  against  the 
lieutenant,  who  had  sworn  that  he  would  tear  off  his  epaulettes, 
if  I  was  not  shot.  There  was  a  whispering  about  among  the 
officers,  that  the  trouble  with  the  lieutenant  was  about  some  wan- 


230  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

dering  young  Malay  woman  of  rank.  He  had  made  many  excur 
sions  on  the  river  to  meet  with  her,  but  in  vain,  and  had  become 
furious  on  learning  that  the  American  Captain  had  been  received 
with  so  much  state  and  attention. 

Whilst  we  talked,  footsteps  approached;  the  sentinel  chal 
lenged;  the  door  of  my  room  was  opened,  and  Col.  de  Brauw 
walked  in  alone.  He  came  to  say  a  few  words  to  me  as  a  friend ; 
and  not  as  a  magistrate.  His  manner  was  very  frank  and  cordial. 
I  began  to  be  touched  by  it,  and  conversed  freely  with  him.  He 
asked  for  some  explanations  about  my  voyage,  and  my  object  in 
coming  to  the  East,  which  I  gave. 

He  spoke  of  Dutch  power  in  Sumatra ;  the  precariousness  of 
its  position  in  the  territory  of  Palembang,  which  would  have  been 
seriously  affected,  had  such  a  letter  as  mine,  with  its  overtures  of 
friendship,  reached  any  of  the  interior  princes ;  so  readily  inflamed 
to  acts  of  hostility.  I  wondered  indeed ;  it  would  be  thought  too 
ridiculous  in  my  country,  to  suppose  that  the  power  of  Holland 
could  be  jeopardized  in  Sumatra  by  the  proffers  of  friendship  to 
a  Malay  chieftain,  by  a  man  with  an  unarmed  vessel,  and  seven 
empty-handed  followers  like  myself. 

Col.  de  Brauw  thought  that  the  American  Government  would 
be  equally  jealous,  and  watchful  of  any  attempt,  however  feeble, 
to  tamper  with  the  Indian  tribes  on  the  Hudson  River.  Yes,  on 
the  Hudson  River,  and  oftentimes,  while  in  the  Archipelago,  I 
heard  remarks,  equally  expressive  of  the  grossest  ignorance  about 
America.  I  could  not  point  out  the  Resident's  sad  deficiency  in 
geographical  knowledge;  and  allowed  him  to  think,  that  the 
case  he  supposed,  was  parallel  to  that  of  a  man,  who  should 
attempt  a  friendly  intercourse  with  independent  princes  in  the 
interior  of  Sumatra  without  consulting  the  authorities  of  the  fort 
of  Palembang ;  who  exercise  from  that  point  about  the  same  juris- 


DE    BRAUW    IN    PRISON.  231 

diction  over  Sumatra,  that  the  British  Government  does  over 
Spain  at  Gibraltar. 

During  all  this  time,  I  supposed  that  my  great  offence  con 
sisted  in  attempting  to  form  an  acquaintanceship  with  the  chieftains 
in  the  interior  of  Sumatra,  without  consulting  the  officials  of 
Holland  in  India.  I  had  some  idea  upon  entering  the  Archipelago, 
of  an  outrageous  assumption  of  a  governmental  control  where 
there  was  no  territorial  foothold ;  but  as  yet  had  not  seen  nor 
heard  any  evidence  to  warrant  it ;  and  felt  that  I  had  a  right  to 
send  a  message  to  the  Sultan  of  Jambee  without  consulting  the 
Dutch ;  yet,  knowing  that  there  was  some  such  assumption,  I  felt 
also  at  the  time,  that  they  would  wish  to  thwart  me  in  the  send 
ing  of  such  message,  and  thus,  though  my  messenger  made  his 
preparations,  and  went  away  in  an  open  manner,  with  men  late 
in  the  service  of  the  Government ;  yet  I  took  no  pains  to  make 
an  official  announcement  of  my  design  at  the  fort,  and  for  this  in 
fringement  of  assumed  rights  and  claims,  I  supposed  that  my 
vessel  was  seized,  and  I  was  imprisoned. 

After  my  arrest,  I  realized  more  forcibly  the  arbitrary,  mili 
tary  dominion  of  the  Dutch  in  the  East,  and  recalled  to  mind  the 
massacres  of  Amboyna  and  Batavia,  the  summary  hangings  of 
natives,  and  incarceration  of  Europeans  without  a  shadow  of  law. 
I  was  led  to  suppose  that  the  Eesident  of  Palembang,  as  guard 
ian  of  the  extravagant  assumptions  of  sovereignty  of  the  Nether 
lands  in  Sumatra,  was  compelled  to  arrest  me  for  the  mere  fact  of 
trying  to  become  acquainted  with  a  distinguished  native,  without 
leave ;  and  had  been  forced  to  harsh  measures  by  reason  of  the 
violent  hostility  towards  me  of  many  of  his  officers. 

I  was  led  to  feel  during  this  interview  that  De  Brauw  enter 
tained  kindly  feelings  towards  me.  I  had  paid  no  attention  to 
the  denunciations  of  a  drunken  officer,  I  had  doubted  in  the  face 


232  I'ltlSON    OF    AVELTEVREDEN. 

of  many  evidences  to  the  contrary,  that  the  Resident  had  had, 
formerly  or  lately,  any  relations  with  Bahdoo  and  Moonchwa,  and 
I  had  not  paid  much  heed  to  the  story  about  Ferdano  Mantri ; 
though  I  observed  that  the  Resident  was  much  startled  when  I 
made  allusion  to  that  chieftain,  and  eagerly  asked,  who  had  ever 
spoken  to  me  about  him ;  yet  he  made  such  explanation  about  the 
position  and  suspected  treachery  of  this  distinguished  native,  as 
satisfied  my  mind  at  the  time. 

Wr  did  not  discuss  the  nature  or  contents  of  the  letter  that  I 
had  designed  to  send  to  the  Sultan  of  Jambee.  The  character  of 
this  prince  and  the  difficulties  that  lay  in  the  route,  to  his  kraton 
and  fort,  were  spoken  of  by  De  Brauw.  Had  the  letter  been  pro 
duced  and  read  to  me,  that  was  a  year  afterwards  brought  forward, 
in  a  court  of  justice,  as  the  one  dictated  by  me,  how  different 
would  have  been  what  afterwards  took  place ;  and  how  different 
would  have  been  my  conversation  with  De  Brauw. 

I  began  to  think  that  he  was  indeed  a  friend,  and  had  saved 
me  from  the  violence  of  the  naval  commander,  and  other  officers, 
and  would  be  compelled  to  send  me  to  Batavia,  a  measure  he 
could  not  avoid.  We  exchanged  many  friendly  remarks,  and  as 
he  rose  to  depart,  I  pointed  to  a  Mexican  scrape,  a  very  rare  one, 
of  the  best  Saltillo  manufacture ;  that  had  been  much  admired  by 
a  member  of  his  family.  I  begged  that  he  would  accept  of  it. 
He  could  not,  situated  as  we  were,  accept  of  any  thing  of  so  much 
consequence — some  trifling  memento  he  would  be  happy  to  receive. 
I  had  a  few  Mexican  silver  reliquiae,  composing  an  Indian  chaplet 
of  small  medals,  and  curious  charms,  among  which  was  a  heart, 
this  the  Resident  took  in  his  hand,  and  said,  "  qu'il  soit  un  coour," 
let  it  be  a  heart,  the  memento  of  friendship  between  us. 

Let  it  be  a  heart,  said  the  *  kind  friend,  Col.  de  Brauw,  who 
came  to  visit  me  in  prison ;  and  on  the  same  night,  the  Resident 


THE  SILVER   HEART,  AND  THE  FALSE  ON6.  233 

of  Palembang  wrote  to  the  Governor  General  of  Netherland  In 
dia,  that  the  commander  of  the  Flirt  was  a  dangerous  man, — that 
during  his  visit  at  Palembang,  "  the  police  was  ordered  to  keep 
a  vigilant  eye  upon  him,"  that  he  "  wanted  to  act  the  part  of 
James  Brook,"  that  Moonchwa  and  Bahdoo,  his  servants,  and 
Kiagoos  Lanang,  a  young  man  of  rank,  his  master  of  the  Malay 
language,  had  early  given  information,  some  time  before  the  de 
parture  of  the  mate  of  the  Flirt,  that  this  American  might  have 
caused  "  disastrous  results  among  a  people  prone  to  rebellion,  and 
remarkably  superstitious;  "  and  therefore  he  considered  that  the 
acts  of  "  this  stranger  should  be  regarded  as  treason,  and  pun 
ished  with  death." 

That  despatch  afterwards  fell  into  the  hands   of  him  who 
gave  the  silver  heart. 

Whilst  the  Resident  was  leaving,  during  the  opening  and  clos 
ing  of  my  door,  I  heard  my  name  whispered.  I  looked  up, 
and  by  my  dim  lamplight,  could  discern  a  human  face,  peering 
through  an  aperture  near  the  tile  roof,  and  after  a  while  could 
make  out  the  features  of  the  friendly  French  soldier.  The  senti 
nel  had  begun  to  pace  to  and  fro  in  the  passage  before  the  door, 
and  each  time  he  turned  his  back,  the  soldier  whispered  from 
above.  I  must  lie  down  apparently  to  sleep,  and  put  out  my 
light ; — then  a  rope  ladder  would  be  let  down  to  me ; — I  must 
clamber  up  silently ; — he  could  easily  pass  me  outside  the  fort ; — 
there  I  would  find  the  Balinese  Captain,  the  adjutant  Van  Steen- 
deren,  and  the  sailing  master  of  the  Maimoon,  and  some  native 
friends,  who  would  take  me  down  the  river  that  night.  He  and 
Van  Steenderen  both  wanted  to  desert,  and  would  go  with  me.  I 
would  soon  get  another  ship  at  Singapore,  and  could  give  them 
employment. 


234  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

I  did  not  want  to  escape.  I  had  at  one  time  felt  some  appre 
hensions  for  my  personal  safety,  on  account  of  the  fury  of  the 
naval  commander,  but  otherwise,  I  could  not  imagine  any  reason 
for  my  attempting  to  break  prison  like  a  felon.  13ut  there  was 
another  reason  for  not  wanting  to  go.  It  was  plain  that  the 
friends  who  wished  to  assist  me,  and  to  escape  with  me,  expected 
that  I  would  appear  as  a  man  of  wealth  and  influence  when  I 
reached  any  place  where  the  authorities  of  the  United  States  were 
to  be  found,  and  that  I  then  could  reward  them  for  any  sacrifice 
made  in  my  behalf.  I  declined  with  many  regrets  to  attempt  to 
go.  The  soldier  deemed  me  mad ;  he  urged,  I  would  not  consent 
to  make  the  attempt.  He  drew  in  his  head,  and  at  a  late  hour  I 
laid  down  to  sleep,  well  wearied  with  the  excitements  of  the  day. 


THIRTY-FIRST  DAY. 

ON  the  morning  of  the  third  day  of  my  imprisonment,  I  was 
aroused  by  the  Balinese  Captain,  hailing  me  through  the  grating 
of  my  door.  He  had  obtained  permission  from  Captain  Kress,  to 
speak  with  me  a  few  minutes.  He  came  to  express  his  surprise 
and  the  disappointment  he  had  felt  on  learning  that  I  did  not  wish 
to  escape.  My  life  was  really  in  danger.  The  Major  and  the 
topographical  Captain  had  both  assured  him  so,  and  had  thrown 
out  hints  that  I  would  do  well  to  escape.  He  would  sail  the  next 
day,  and  lay  to  for  me  off  the  mouth  of  the  Banyoo  Assin,  if  I 
would  agree  to  get  out  that  night.  He  knew  a  foster  brother  of 
the  Demang  of  Soonsang,  and  a  devoted  follower  of  Ferdano 
Mantri,  who  were  eager  to  help  me,  and  would  take  me  to  a  safe 
retreat  till  I  could  get  on  board  his  vessel. 

Whilst  I  thanked  the  Balinese  Captain  for  his  desire  to  serve 
me,  I  still  could  not  see  the  necessity  for  what  he  urged  me  to  do. 
I  had  many  enemies,  no  doubt,  in  the  fort,  but  the  commander  in 
chief  was  friendly ;  and  I  doubted  not  but  that  he  would  make 
such  a  representation  to  the  Governor  General  of  what  had  taken 
place,  that  I  would  soon  be  at  liberty  again,  after  paying  a  fine 
perhaps,  for  my  infringement  of  a  police  regulation. 

The  Balinese  was  surprised  to  hear  me  talk  so.  I  was  not 
accused  of  any  mere  finable  misdemeanor,  but  of  "  high  treason," 
as  the  Assistant  Resident  says  to  every  body,  and  punishable  with 


236  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

death.  I  was  deceiving  myself  most  lamentably  in  supposing  the 
Resident  was  friendly,  or  even  open  and  candid  with  me.  The 
topographical  Captain  had  said,  "  Tell  the  American  commander 
not  to  put  any  trust  in  De  Brauw,  who  is  greatly  excited  about 
something  said  in  relation  to  Ferdano  Mantri,  and  never  wants  the 
commander  to  leave  prison  alive ; "  and  put  no  trust  in  any  Dutch 
man,  said  the  Balinese.  He  had  been  cheated  out  of  a  great  deal 
of  freight  money ;  he  had  been  insulted,  and  he  wanted  to  have 
revenge  upon  the  Resident,  and  a  great  many  of  the  officers  of  the 
fort.  He  would  go  with  me  any  where,  sacrifice  his  ship,  time  and 
money  to  help  me  in  any  scheme,  by  which  he  would  have  a  chance 
to  be  revenged  on  De  Brauw,  Kress,  and  other  officers  he  named. 

I  had  now  still  less  reason  to  wish  to  escape,  even  if  it  were 
true,  that  I  was  accused  of  a  capital  crime.  I  did  not  wish  to 
escape  for  the  sake  of  aiding  soldiers  to  desert,  and  the  Balinese 
Captain  to  gratify  his  revenge.  "Whilst  we  spoke,  a  native  ser 
vant,  the  same  who  had  brought  me  food  and  wine  the  first  day,  in 
addition  to  the  prison  fare,  now  came  with  another  small  basket 
full  of  dainties,  and  was  readily  admitted  into  my  room.  As  he 
removed  the  articles  from  his  basket  and  arranged  them  for  me, 
he  slipped  a  piece  of  paper  into  my  hand,  and  as  he  went  out  and 
for  a  few  moments  engaged  the  sentinel  in  conversation,  I  had  an 
opportunity  to  read  these  words  :  "  Every  word  of  your  conversa 
tion  with  De  Brauw  has  been  made  the  subject  matter  of  a  verbal 
process,  drawn  up  by  Storm.  The  Resident  hates  you  for  many 
reasons,  he  hates  every  thing  American ;  but  it  is  your  knowledge 
of  the  Ferdano  Mantri  affair,  that  excites  him  so  much  against 
you.  He  will  do  all  in  his  power  to  have  you  put  to  death.  Your 
case  is  aggravated  by  the  circumstance  of  your  mate  firing  upon 
the  Tumungung  who  went  to  arrest  him.  Escape  if  you  can." 

1  recognized  the  handwriting  of  one  whom  I  thought  was  true 


ON    BOARD    THE    ARJUNO.  237 

and  good-hearted.  I  began  to  feel  disposed  to  think  of  escaping. 
I  said  so  to  the  Balinese  who  still  stood  outside  my  door.  He 
was  rejoiced  at  my  change  of  mind,  and  he  left  me,  saying  that 
some  one  would  be  at  the  hole  in  the  tile  roof  again  that  night. 

But  there  was  no  occasion  to  go  to  the  hole  in  the  roof.  An 
officer  came  to  inform  me  that  a  war  steamer,  which  had  arrived 
from  Batavia,  would  return  immediately.  I  must  depart  within 
an  hour.  Plans  of  escape  from  Palembang  were  hopeless,  but 
there  was  full  hope  of  soon  being  free  again,  and  these  words  were 
cut  into  the  plaster  of  my  prison  wall :  "  I  will  return,"  and 
whilst  cutting  the  last  letter,  the  Assistant  Resident  came  with  a 
guard  of  soldiers,  to  conduct  me  on  board  the  steamer. 

The  mulatto  Assistant  led  the  way  from  the  fort  to  the  boat 
landing,  through  a  lane  of  troops.  We  entered  a  barge,  and  were 
rapidly  pulled  through  a  throng  of  small  native  craft  on  the  river. 
I  observed  a  hand  raised  in  a  tambangan,  and  got  a  glimpse  of  the 
faces  of  Abdallah,  the  grandson  of  Panyorang  Scheriff  Ali,  and  of 
Seyd  Raehman  Alkhaaf.  A  minute  afterwards,  I  was  upon  the 
deck  of  the  steam  sloop  of  war,  Arjuno. 

The  commander  ordered  me  to  be  placed  in  a  state-room  below. 
As  I  descended  the  companion-way,  my  hand  was  seized  with  a 
friendly  grasp.  The  light  was  dim  below,  and  it  was  not  easy  to 
discern  any  face,  but  the  friendly  voice  of  the  Shahbandar  was 
heard  whispering  a  few  friendly  and  comforting  words.  In  a  few 
moments  the  surging  and  buffeting  of  paddle  wheels  were  heard, 
and  the  Arjuno  was  rapidly  speeding  away  from  the  floating 
town  of  Palembang. 

A  marine,  with  cutlass  in  hand,  stood  at  my  little  state-room 
door.  He  was  talkative,  said  that  a  midshipman  had  been  mur 
dered  in  the  berth  I  occupied,  a  few  days  previous.  The  midship 
man  had  a  Javanese  servant,  whom  he  had  kicked  and  called  out- 


238  PRISON    OF    WKLTKVUKPF.X. 

rageous  names  on  one  occasion.  The  Javanese  feel  very  keenly 
any  personal  indignity,  and  this  one  took  a  fearful  vengeance,  of 
which  there  was  some  bloody  evidence,  left  on  the  rail  of  the 
berth,  that  I  had  to  occupy.  No  one  on  board  would  sleep  in  it 
since  the  murder  had  occurred,  but  the  friendly  marine  hoped  that 
no  thoughts  of  the  matter  would  disturb  my  slumbers. 

It  was  night  when  we  came  to  anchor  at  Minto.  I  obtained 
It-avu  to  take  a  walk  with  the  marine;  and  when  on  the  quarter 
deck  I  received  a  pressure  of  the  hand  from  the  good-hearted 
Havermeester,  and  the  friendly  intelligent  Doctor.  The  latter, 
who  was  an  old  friend  of  the  commander  of  the  war  steamer, 
obtained  leave  to  talk  with  me  alone;  and  as  we  stood  by 
one  of  the  gangways  looking  at  my  vessel  lashed  alongside,  we 
dwelt  upon  the  contrast  between  the  present  and  our  former  meet 
ing  on  the  quarter  deck  of  the  Flirt  in  the  roadstead  of  Minto. 

The  Doctor  was  deeply  grieved,  not  only  on  account  of  meet 
ing  me  under  such  changed  circumstances,  but  on  account  of  the 
folly  which  he  believed  the  officers  of  his  government  at  Palern- 
baiig  had  committed.  I  was  the  victim  of  that  absurd  spirit  of 
jealousy  towards  all  foreigners,  of  which  it  was  time  for  his  coun 
trymen  in  the  East  to  get  rid.  The  spirit  of  the  old  illiberal 
spice-destroying  company  still  seems  to  exist,  although  the  Dutch 
monarchy,  in  assuming  complete  sovereignty  over  the  Archipelago, 
inaugurated  a  more  liberal  and  wiser  policy.  It  was  his  opinion, 
that  I  owed  all  my  troubles  to  an  absurdly  exaggerated  idea  of 
the  object  of  my  presence  in  the  East.  He  had  understood  my 
motives  and  my  tastes,  and  had  endeavored  to  combat  some  of  the 
extravagancies  that  had  continued  to  be  manufactured  about  me, 
since  my  first  arrival  at  Minto.  I  had  gone  to  Palembang  with 
an  exaggerated  character,  the  authorities  there  and  natives  of  rank 
had  fallen  in  with  the  idea — and  he  would  not  be  surprised  if  it 


ANTI-AMERICAN    FEELING    IN    N.    INDIA.  239 

were  a  fact,  that  I  had  got  my  head  turned,  and  with  princely 
consequence  wished  to  enter  into  a  warlike  alliance  with  the  Sultan 
of  Jambee. 

He  listened  to  my  account  of  the  matter,  and  when  I  spoke 
of  my  confident  hopes  of  speedy  liberation  at  Batavia,  where  I 
would  have  no  personal  hostility,  and  no  ignorant  military  preju 
dice  to  combat  with,  and  where  I  should  find  an  American  consul, 
who  would  see  that  I  had  fair  play ;  he  shook  his  head  with  a 
doubtful  expression  of  countenance.  He  advised  me  to  prepare 
my  mind  for  more  serious  consequences.  The  Resident  of  Minto 
and  the  Resident  of  Palembang  were  both  known  to  be  singu 
larly  anti- American  in  their  feelings.  They  were  noted  alarmists 
on  the  subject  of  the  American  spirit  of  annexation,  about  to 
.stretch  across  the  Pacific,  from  the  Sandwich  to  the  Malayan 
Archipelago.  The  destructive  and  expensive  warfare  waged  in 
the  Palembang  territory,  would  make  the  government  very  severe 
upon  the  attempt  of  any  foreigner  to  establish  without  their  leave 
any  kind  of  relation,  however  harmless,  with  the  natives;  for 
it  does  not  recognize  the  sovereign  independence  of  any  prince 
in  Sumatra ;  even  those  who  are  not  immediately  controlled  by 
the  presence  of  its  authority.  The  Government  of  Netherland  In 
dia  is  now  presided  over  by  a  very  severe  man,  a  gloomy,  religious 
fanatic,  and  a  cold-hearted  financier,  just  sent  out  to  regulate  the 
Indian  treasury ;  and  of  him  you  may  expect  the  severest  possible 
construction  of  the  representations  of  De  Brauw.  And  hope 
nothing  from  any  representative  of  your  country  at  Batavia ;  no 
consul  or  other  official  agent  is  recognized  in  Netherland  India, 
and  the  two  or  three  Americans  who  live  in  Batavia,  are  all  Dutch 
burghers,  hold  property,  and  would  not  dare  to  open  their  mouths 
in  your  behalf.  Your  chief  hope  is  in  the  appearance  at  Batavia 


240  PRISON    OF    WKLTRVUEPEN. 

of  your  commodore  commanding  the  East  India  squadron,  and  he 
will  soon  hear  of  your  condition  by  the  mail  steamer,  which  passes 
here  on  its  way  to  Singapore. 

I  felt  that  the  Doctor  spoke  sincerely,  and  I  began  to  feel,  per 
haps  oppressively,  a  gravity  in  my  situation,  and  this  I  felt  the 
more,  the  day  following  my  conversation  with  him.  Whilst  the 
Arjuno  was  traversing  the  Java  sea,  I  was  talking  with  the  officer 
of  the  watch  on  deck.  I  saw  marines  standing  in  the  gangways, 
starboard  and  larboard,  and  two  accompanied  me  in  my  walk. 
What  was  the  meaning  of  this  unusual  display  of  vigilance? 
The  commander  had  received  some  especial  instructions  at  Minto, 
to  guard  me  like  a  man  charged  with  a  capital  offence,  who  might 
attempt  to  jump  overboard  whilst  passing  the  small  islands,  strewn 
on  the  way  to  Batavia. 

Beautiful  isles !  with  leaf  and  flower  clustering  down  to  the 
kissing  wavelets  of  Java's  placid  sea.  How  I  had  looked  upon 
them  with  loving  and  longing  eye,  wishing  to  court  their  deep 
shade  and  sweet  solitude,  when  I  had  glided  happily  by  them  in 
my  own  pleasant  little  ship ;  but  what  were  those  longings  now  as 
I  hurried  past  in  this  grimy  ship  of  war,  in  the  grip  of  men,  who 
counted  my  tastes  all  folly,  my  curiosity  dangerous,  and  my 
sympathies  treason. 

My  longing  eye  gazed  wistfully  at  the  Watcher  and  the  Broth 
ers,  as  some  who  hear  me  once  had  done.  The  Arjuno  safely 
passing  those  Brower  shoals,  which  wrecked  the  Palmer,  and  broke 
your  quiet  revery  amid  these  tranquil  waters,  and  mine  soon  was 
to  be  broken  in  upon ;  and  in  as  unlocked  for  a  way  by  the  ar 
resting  hand  of  Brower  the  sheriff  of  Batavia. 

The  ascending  slopes,  the  terraced  hills  of  Java,  burst  upon 
the  sight.  The  towering  shade  of  Dapoor  and  Edam,  and  of  tho 


ARRIVAL    AT   BAT  A  VIA.  241 

last  of  the  thousand  isles  has  sunk  below  the  ocean  line,  and  a 
thick  forest  of  masts  rises  up  to  view.  Yonder  flies  the  common 
( mblem  of  a  score  of  nations,  copyists  of  republican  France,  the 
tricolored,  horizontal  stripes  of  Holland,  floating  above  ramparts, 
and  in  the  roadstead  of  Batavia. 
11 


THIRTY-SECOND  DAY. 

I  SAT  one  weary  day,  within  my  narrow  cage,  to  meet  the  gaze 
of  curious  men.  The  next  day,  I  was  put  on  board  another  man- 
of-war,  the  corvette  Boreas,  the  guard-ship  of  the  port.  As  I 
walked  along  the  gun-deck  to  the  berth  assigned  to  me,  I  saw  my 
sailor  Jim,  with  hands  manacled  and  chained  to  a  gun.  The 
brave  fellow  said  some  words  of  cheer,  and  something  about 
weathering  our  captors.  Further  words  were  interrupted  by  a 
blow  from  a  marine,  and  as  I  was  hurried  away  by  the  two  ma 
rines  on  either  side  of  me,  I  saw  my  brave  sailor  vainly  struggling 
to  loose  his  manacled  hands,  to  return  the  blows  of  the  brutal 
and  cowardly  Dutchman. 

I  felt  my  imprisoned  state  very  severely  on  board  the  Boreas. 
1  was  thrust  into  a  close,  dark,  foul  smelling  den  on  the  berth 
deck.  When  night  came,  an  overspreading  cloud  of  hammocks 
covered  every  beam  :  one  hundred  and  twenty  reeking  bodies 
within  the  space  for  twenty,  sent  up  a  rank,  animal  steam.  I 
choked,  I  begged  for  air  ;  but  I  sat  for  many  days  in  the  fetid 
steams,  down  in  the  hold  of  the  Boreas. 

On  the  fourth  day,  I  was  marched  into  the  cabin  of  the  com 
mander,  into  the  presence  of  a  short,  stout  gentleman,  with  a  mild 
and  benevolent-looking  face,  who  asked  me  many  questions  about 
my  late  vo)  age,  which  I  answered ;  and  many  more  about  what  I 
had  seen,  said,  and  heard,  in  Sumatra,  which  I  refused  to  answer. 


SHERIFF    BROWER.  243 

I  had  sent  for  a  countryman,  an  attorney,  some  kind  of  counsel ; 
but  no  one  had  come  near  me.  I  wanted  the  fair  play  and  open 
justice  I  expected  to  meet  with  in  a  Christian  and  enlightened 
country. 

But  my  questioner  said  it  was  the  law  of  Netherland  India  to 
be  questioned  by  the  prosecution,  before  receiving  counsel  of  any 
kind.  I  thought  that  it  was  an  unjust  and  inquisitorial  law.  I 
would  remain  silent.  One  more  question  my  interrogator  urged 
me  to  answer,  and  he  held  up  a  bundle  of  papers,  among  which  I 
had  a  momentary  glimpse  of  one,  marked  with  strange  characters. 
Had  I  dictated  and  sent  this  letter  to  the  Sultan  of  Jambee  ?  I 
had  ordered  a  letter  to  be  prepared  and  sent  to  that  Prince.  I 
thought,  and  he  thought,  that  the  document  he  held  in  his  hand, 
was  the  letter  sent  by  me.  How  different,  as  when  De  Brauw  spoke 
with  me,  might  have  been  the  after  proceedings,  had  that  letter 
then  been  read  to  me ;  or  the  paper  been  put  into  my  hand. 

The  next  clay,  on  a  Sunday  morning,  an  order  came  to  remove 
me  to  prison  on  shore, — to  a  prison  in  the  sultry  grave  of  Euro 
peans,  into  a  dismal  cell,  where  faint  rays  of  blessed  light,  and  a 
stifled  breath  of  still  more  blessed  air,  struggled  through  close 
woven  bars ;  and  yet  this  picture  seemed  pleasanter  than  the  nau 
seous  berth,  the  bad  fare,  and  the  hideous  society  of  the  guard- 
ship.  '  .  •  '; 

I  was  placed  in  a  boat  between  two  marines ;  and  eight  oars, 
plied  by  stout  arms,  sped  us  swiftly  through  the  throng  of  ships 
lying  at  anchor  in  the  roads.  At  the  landing  near  the  Custom- 
House  steps,  I  was  politely  greeted  by  a  man  wearing  a  gold-laced 
cap ;  he  was  in  the  early  prime  of  life,  with  fresh  complexion,  and 
good-humored  expression  of  countenance.  With  a  smiling  face  he 
said,  pointing  to  a  small  covered  wagon,  that  he  would  have  the 
honor  to  accompany  me  to  my  new  lodgings.  This  invitation 


244  PRISON    OF    WELTEVKKDEN. 

sounded  smoother  than  the  gruff  order  just  lately  heard,  to  get 
down  into  a  boat;  but  as  perhaps  this  shore  suavity  was  to 
be  followed  by  a  harder  lot  than  had  been  met  with  in  prison 
afloat,  it  was  not  easy  to  appreciate  the  good-hearted  politeness  of 
Jan  Brower,  the  duurwarder  and  sheriff  of  the  Court  of  Justice 
of  Batavia. 

The  ground  was  deserted  when  I  had  landed ;  no  one  stood  near 
me  but  Brower.  On  entering  the  van,  I  paused  for  a  moment  on 
the  steps,  and  looked  around.  I  saw  in  the  verandah  of  a  tiffin 
house,  or  tavern,  a  young  man,  a  well-dressed  sailor,  like  the  mate 
of  a  ship,  who  had  such  a  look  of  home  in  his  face,  that  I  hailed 
him  to  know  if  he  were  an  American.  "  Yes,  by  the  Lord  !  what's 
to  pay,  countryman  ? "  was  the  hearty  and  cheery  reply,  and  I 
hurriedly  shouted  out  some  words,  the  unjust  imprisonment  of 
myself  and  crew,  to  tell  of  it  to  an  American  Commodore  or  Con 
sul.  At  my  first  word  the  wagon  started,  the  young  man  ran  to 
catch  up,  I  heard  the  words  aye,  aye ;  the  horses  were  whipped 
into  a  brisker  pace,  and  I  lost  sight  of  the  American. 

There  was  chance  for  but  a  slight  glimpse  of  the  "  queen  city 
of  the  East,"  whilst  hurried  along  the  banks  of  canals,  and  be 
neath  the  deep  shade  of  long  rows  of  trees  of  rare  foliage  and 
flowers ; — huge  bouquets,  swaying  to  the  breeze,  and  loading  it 
with  a  rich  burden  of  sweets ;  but  I  saw  enough,  and  was  not  in 
too  gloomy  a  mood  to  feel,  that  I  had  never  seen  such  a  city  of 
fair  villas,  as  stood  on  the  site  of  the  old  Jacatra,  the  foundation 
of  Picter  Both,  the  metropolis  of  Netherland  India, 

"We  stopped  at  a  small  gate,  in  a  crumbling  wall,  that  is  to  be 
seen  no  longer.  Brower  led  the  way,  and  a  barefooted  native, 
with  a  drawn  sword  in  his  hand,  brought  up  the  rear.  Blue 
coats,  yellow  leather  belts,  and  glistening  bayonets  thronged 
around  a  doorway.  We  entered  a  small  whitewashed  room,  bare 


JAILER   OF    WELTEVREDEN.  245 

of  every  thing,  but  some  police  truncheons,  three  heavy,  leather 
arm-chairs ;  and  a  desk  covered  with  black  cloth — The  little  room 
looked  very  chill  and  gloomy,  amid  all  the  sunshine  of  Java ;  and 
while  waiting  to  see  a  jailer,  with  hard-lined,  dungeon-like 
face,  I  saw  a  little  ruddy  man,  a  very  Santa  Klaus  of  early  fan 
cies,  bounce  into  the  room ;  Brower  introduced  Mynheer  Pieters, 
who  gave  me  a  hearty  shake  of  the  hand ;  and  pouring  out  Bel 
gian  French  very  rapidly,  said  that  he  had  heard  of  me,  as  being  a 
very  bad  subject ;  he  always  liked  bad  subjects ;  they  were  the 
best  of  customers  at  his  hotel ;  and  to  have  an  American,  he  had  a 
great  liking  for  them  too ;  the  first  he  had  ever  had ;  it  was  an 
era  in  his  establishment. 

The  little  man's  good  humor,  and  volubility  and  jollity,  were 
not  at  all  cheering,  in  the  midst  of  bayonets,  truncheons,  thick 
walls,  and  heavy,  iron-studded  doors.  There  seemed  to  be  a 
Jack  Ketch  jocularity  about  him,  that  I  did  not  relish.  I  felt,  as 
I  looked  into  the  little,  cold,  watchful  gray  eyes,  that  he  would  in 
the  same  tone,  apologize  for  any  rough  adjustment  of  a  halter ; 
and  compliment  me  upon  being  one  of  the  best-looking  subjects 
that  he  had  ever  hung. 

Sheriff  Brower  bid  me  adieu ;  and  Mynheer  Pieters  request 
ed  me  to  have  the  kindness  to  take  a  look  at  my  apartment.  We 
passed  some  rows  of  doors,  with  little  gratings,  behind  which  dirty, 
bearded  faces,  stared  at  me.  We  stopped  at  one  of  the  doors ; 
Pieters  looked  around,  and  called  some  one.  A  tall,  lank,  low 
browed,  hard-lined,  livid-faced  man,  the  one  I  had  looked  for  at 
first,  appeared.  He  singled  out  from  a  huge  bunch  of  quaint  old 
keys,  the  one  needed  for  the  door,  where  we  had  stopped ;  and 
we  entered  a  small,  high-walled  court,  with  a  row  of  four  grated 
doors,  along  one  side. 

I  saw  bearded  faces,  and  half-naked  figures,  at  three  of  the 


246 


PRISON    OF    WELTEVIiEDEN. 


doors,  and  Mynheer  Pietcrs  introduced  them  as  I  approached. 
At  the  end  door,  on  the  right,  stood  a  low,  slender  figure,  with  a 
very  yellow  beardless  young  face,  dressed  only  in  a  long  cotton 
sarong ;  and  this  was  a  native  schoolmaster.  At  the  end  door, 
on  the  left,  stood  a  tall,  thin  young  man,  pockmarked;  with 
yellow  skin,  and  scant  of  dress  like  the  other ;  and  this  was  a 
native  merchant. 

At  one  of  the  middle  doors,  I  saw  a  man  of  another  type.  A 
fine,  open,  fresh,  Caucasian  face.  A  tall,  military  figure;  but 
bare  as  the  natives ;  and  a  broad  chest,  an  arm  of  fine  muscle,  and 


THE    BARON    IN    PRISON. 


247 


a  well  set  neck,  were  fully  exposed  to  view  by  this  half  nude 
prison  costume.  Mynheer  Pieters  bowed  low,  as  he  approached 
this  man ;  he  stood  silent  as  in  the  presence  of  a  superior,  whilst 
this  personage  thus  spoke  to  me : 

Prisoners  need  no  introductions;  especially  from  this  old- 
pensioned  adjutant,  Pieters,  who  dares  to  turn  a  key  upon  me,  his 
old  master.  I  am  a  captain  like  yourself;  but  a  sword's  man,  in 
stead  of  a  rope's  man.  They  say  you  are  a  pirate ;  but  you  do 
not  look  like  one,  and  if  so,  it  may  not  prevent  you  from  being  a 
good  comrade  in  jail.  You  are  to  tenant  this  little  den  of  Pieters 
alongside  of  me,  and  if  Baron  Van  Norden,  late  captain  of  in 
fantry  in  the  Netherlands  army,  can  be  of  service,  command  him 
during  your  stay  in  the  Prison  of  Weltevreden. 


THIRTY-THIRD  DAY. 

IT  was  dusk  when  I  was  locked  np ;  and  I  saw  little  of  what 
was  around  me ;  and  soon  gave  way  to  sleep  which  no  hopes  nor 
fears  could  ever  take  from  me ;  and  in  the  morning,  I  found  none 
of  the  prison  horrors  I  had  looked  for,  no  den  of  torment  in  some 
Castle  keep ;  but  I  could  not  boast  of  the  comforts  of  my  abode. 
I  had  a  room,  ten  feet  wide,  by  thirteen  long,  with  coarse,  plaster 
walls ;  scraped,  cut,  and  gouged,  by  weary  prisoners  before  me ; 
the  floor  was  of  tile,  and  wet  all  the  time,  from  the  oozings  of  the 
prison  moat  that  washed  the  outer  wall ;  but  I  was  provided  with 
Chinese  clogs;  rude,  wooden  soles,  with  a  leather  strap  for  the  in- 
Btep,  that  raised  me  one  inch  and  a  quarter  from  my  wet  floor. 

From  a  grating  in  my  rear  wall,  I  could  get  a  whiff  of  Java 
breeze,  and  a  glimpse  of  a  bayonet,  passing  along  the  edge  of  the 
green,  slimy  moat,  and  beyond  this  I  could  see  a  piece  of  marsh 
ground,  in  the  centre  of  which  stood  a  gallows  for  the  use  of  the 
prison.  The  prospect  from  the  grating  in  front  was  not  of  so 
wide  a  range ;  but  somewhat  like,  in  the  bayonet,  the  dreary  pri 
son  court,  in  the  centre  of  which  stood  a  platform,  for  the  appli 
cation  of  the  bastinado  to  men,  who  showed  too  much  discontent 
for  the  comforts  of  the  prison  life. 

I  had  a  wooden  bench  and  platform  to  serve  for  seat,  bed,  table, 
and  washstand,  and  all  other  purposes  of  furniture.  I  had  a  stone 
pitcher  and  bowl,  and  had  been  furnished  with  a  horn  spoon,  and 


THIS    SOCIETY   IN    PRISON.  249 

a  tin  platter ;  for  which  I  found  an  early  use  on  the  first  morning 
of  my  stay  in  Weltevreden. 

At  seven  o'clock,  I  heard  the  grating  of  rusty  bolts,  and  then 
saw  the  dead-man's  face  of  the  turnkey  in  the  doorway.  Be 
hind  him,  came  a  tall,  stout  native,  with  light  brown  skin;  he 
had  a  heavy  iron  collar,  fast  rivetted  on  his  neck ;  and  wore  no 
other  garment,  but  a  pair  of  short,  blue,  coarse  cotton  drawers. 
He  entered  my  cell,  with  a  large  wooden  tray  poised  on  the  palm 
of  his  right  hand ;  and  then  placed  on  my  platform,  alongside  of 
where  I  had  slept,  a  small  bowl  of  brown  rice,  some  fish  curry, 
and  some  red  pepper  pods  and  beans. 

Whilst  eyeing  my  small  mess  of  meagre  food,  I  heard  the 
voice  of  the  Baron,  who  appeared  before  me,  robed  like  the  Ju 
piter  of  Phidias.  Rice,  fish,  and  red  pepper  diet,  would  save 
me  from  Java  fever ;  but  before  I  had  eaten,  he  would  have  me 
go  to  the  door  of  our  small  court,  and  take  a  look  at  the  prison. 
At  feeding  time,  and  the  relieving  of  guards,  there  was  a  short 
privilege  for  prisoners,  to  step  to  the  doorways  of  their  several 
courts ;  and  then  could  see  their  neighbors  at  other  doorways  of  the 
several  wards  or  blocks  of  the  prison. 

I  had  heard  during  the  night,  fearful  shrieks,  and  howls,  and 
sounds  like  the  dying  rattle  in  a  strong  man's  throat.  I  heard 
them  again,  followed  by  a  grating  and  lumbering  sound,  as  I  step 
ped  to  the  gate  of  the  outer  court.  One  of  our  madmen ;  said 
the  Baron,  confined  in  a  room  of  the  first  block,  to  the  right  of 
the  jailer's  house,  as  you  enter. 

This  is  a  strange,  and  fearful  maniac.  He  has  not  left  his 
room,  foul  like  a  wild  beast's  den,  for  one  moment  in  eight  years. 
He  is  hairy  and  hideous  like  an  orang  utan ;  and  naked,  except 
some  foul  shreds  only,  of  the  garments  which  he  wore  when  he 
entered,  hanging  to  bands  around  his  neck  and  waist.  He 
IP 


250  ritltiON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

raves  most  terrible  thoughts,  of  evil  designs  upon  him ;  and  barri 
cades  at  night  his  door,  with  marvellous,  clock-like  regularity, — 
removing  with  the  same  punctuality  the  barricades  in  the  morning, 
— the  lumbering  and  grating  of  which  you  have  just  heard ;  as  he 
removed  the  platform  upon  which  he  sleeps,  from  his  door. 

But  the  strangest  feature  of  his  madness,  is  an  extraordinary 
concealment  of  his  face.  Nobody  has  seen  it  exposed  to  view, 
since  he  entered  his  den.  He  has  the  filthy  blackened  fragment 
of  an  old  straw  hat,  which  he  holds  before  his  face  at  all  times. 
When  he  paces  his  floor,  he  shifts  the  dirty  mask  from  hand  to 
hand,  so  as  to  keep  the  side  turned  towards  the  door,  always  hid 
den  ;  when  he  eats,  he  conceals  his  face  with  the  hat ;  and  when 
he  sleeps,  the  same  everlasting  screen  is  found  firmly  pressed  with 
his  clasped  hands,  upon  the  hideous,  wilted,  maniac  face. 

I  cannot  tell  you  his  history,  nobody  knows ;  the  government 
put  him  here,  that  has  so  many  dark  ways  of  dealing  with  people 
who  may  give  cause  for  fear  or  trouble ;  and  all  talent  and  free 
dom  of  expression  soon  qualify  a  man  for  these  walls,  wherein 
are  to  be  found  better  material  for  the  formation  of  a  govern 
ment,  than  the  one  that  put  them  here;  and  strange  as  it  may  seem, 
a  large  part  of  the  headwork  of  the  government  is  carried  on 
here. 

You  see  in  the  gateway  of  the  block  next  to  that  of  the  mad 
man,  a  short,  stout-built  man,  about  fifty  years  of  age,  who  was 
lately  condemned  to  two  years  of  prison.  His  broad,  heavy,  sal 
low  face,  show  lines  of  a  highly  gifted  mind.  He  was  the  private 
secretary  of  a  late  governor-general,  and  a  chief  magistrate  of  the 
island  of  Banca.  The  Besident,  as  we  call  him,  is  daily  consulted 
in  matters  pertaining  to  the  courts,  and  the  affairs  of  executive 
administration ;  and  the  strong  head,  for  the  sake  of  an  extra  pit 
tance  in  prison,  willingly  uses  his  brains  for  the  advantage  of  those 


TALENT    OF    N.    INDIA    IN    PRISON.  251 

weaker  ones,  wielding  the  sword  and  the  purse,  who  have  en 
caged  him. 

The  slender,  deadly  pale,  and  haggard-looking  man,  who  stands 
near  to  the  Resident,  is  the  most  skilful  artist  with  pencil  and  en 
graving  tools,  in  Netherland  India.  He  was  the  government 
draughtsman,  and  has  been  lodged  here  for  ten  years,  on  account 
of  draughting  some  papers  for  his  own  especial  use.  But  he 
works  in  his  cell,  the  same  as  in  the  topographical  bureau,  and  is 
at  present  engaged  upon  a  new  map  of  Japan  for  the  Govern 
ment,  which  contains  the  recent  observations  of  Dr.  Meunicher, 
who  accompanied  our  embassy  to  Jeddo. 

You  see  another  man,  standing  in  the  gateway  of  block  No  3., 
and  the  block  companion  of  the  Resident  and  Topographer.  That 
broad  Tartar  forehead,  and  fine-shaped  nose,  is  of  Russian  origin; 
and  it  might  seem  strange  to  see  him  here,  since  my  Government 
has  courted  every  thing  Russian  so  much,  since  the  time,  our  late 
William  courted  the  Anna  Paulowna  of  Rusland ;  but  alas  for 
this  man,  with  all  his  Russian  prestige,  he  caused  my  Government 
some  loss  of  guilders,  which  merits  jail  so  much  in  Dutch  eyes; 
and  from  which  no  Russian  Dowager  could  save  him.  Yet  he 
works  in  his  cell  for  some  government  functionary;  and  every 
day,  a  liveried  slave  brings  a  roll  of  documents  to  the  Russian 
secretary. 

Whilst  the  Baron  was  speaking,  a  tall,  thin,  haggard  man 
passed  before  us.  This  was  another  madman,  allowed  the  privilege 
of  walking  in  the  main  court.  He  had  been  the  most  eminent  law 
yer  in  Netherland  India.  He  prosecuted  a  case  for  the  recovery 
of  some  two  millions  of  guilders  from  the  Government.  He  was 
seized  with  a  little  fever ;  and  in  spite  of  his  own,  and  the  pro 
testations  of  his  friends,  was  pronounced  a  subject  for  hospital 


252  PRISON    OF    WELTEVIIEDEN. 

treatment  and  confinement ;  and  plentiful  blood-letting  soon  sent 
him  a  raving  lunatic,  to  be  confined  in  jail. 

He  had  a  strange  whim  of  playing  upon  words,  with  childish 
comparisons  of  sounds  and  meanings.  He  would  converse  some 
times  with  great  ability  and  display  of  learning ;  at  other  times, 
according  to  the  phases  of  the  moon,  he  dwelt  only  upon  the  most 
incoherent  fancies  ;  but  ever  ended  every  discourse  with  one  per 
petual  refrain :  "  there  is  no  law  in  India" 

The  crazy  man  passed  us  again.  The  Baron  spoke  to  him ; 
the  lunatic  scanned  me  with  a  lengthened  stare ;  and  when  my 
name  and  country  were  mentioned,  he  shook  my  hand  heartily,  and 
expressing  himself  in  good  English,  was  delighted  to  see  one  from 
the  land,  where  the  African  race  abounded.  He  had  been  studying 
the  tubular,  cellular,  and  capillary  distinctions  between  hair  and 
wool ;  which  my  countrymen  could  not  do  without  bitterness, 
hence  the  name  amer,  mara,  bitter,  which  we  have  to  put  into 
gcnever,  your  gin,  but  how  unfit  for  a  can, — the  milk  cup  of  a 
child ; — you  make  amer, — with  a  can ; — that  is  brutal,  like  our" 
council, — but  "  there  is  no  law  in  India." 

The  learned  lunatic  walked  away,  muttering  about  the  bru 
tality  of  putting  bitters  into  a  child's  milk  can.  He  occupied  a 
chamber  in  block  No.  2,  the  first  one  on  the  left,  on  entering  the 
prison.  There  was  one  more  tenant  of  the  block,  in  a  chamber 
next  to  the  crazy  lawyer.  Ho  was  a  bankrupt  merchant,  confined 
for  a  bad  disposition  of  assets.  He  had  failed  with  ample  funds 
in  the  hands  of  friends  outside,  who  smuggled  liquors  and  wines 
to  him  in  prison,  of  which  block  No.  4, — the  one  in  which  I  was 
confined, — got  ample  share,  from  the  defaulting  merchant. 

In  our  block,  said  the  Baron,  wo  have  but  a  small  share  of 
the  governmental  talent  of  the  prison.  However,  my  next  door 
neighbor,  the  little  schoolmaster,  the  son  of  an  Englishman  of 


CHARACTERS    IN    TIIK    PRISON. 

Bencoolen,  is  a  rare  scholar  in  the  language,  literature,  manners, 
customs,  and  antiquities  of  the  Javanese  and  Malays;  but  the  go 
vernment  sets  but  little  value  on  all  that;  nay,  look  upon  it  as  the 
next  thing  to  treason,  to  teach  such  stuff ;  and  have  fastened  up 
the  poor  little  scholar,  to  prevent  his  teaching  or  writing  books ; 
and  keep  him  busy,  drawing  up  contracts  with  the  natives  for 
coffee  and  pepper. 

You  have  a  great  rogue,  in  the  trader  next  to  you ;  but  he  has 
travelled  with  his  packs  into  every  corner  of  Java;  he  knows  the 
routes,  throughout  the  native  states  of  Surakarta,  and  Yugya- 
karta,  better  than  any  man  in  Batavia;  and  many  an  exploring 
party,  lias  received  their  instructions  for  the  route  from  your 
neighbor  the  trader. 

Before  passing  from  our  block,  I  will  say  a  word  about  my 
self,  and  show  what  part  I  play  in  the  governmental  talent  of  the 
prison.  I  was  four  years,  commander  of  the  small  military  post 
of  Lahat  on  the  Lamatang  River,  one  of  the  Western  branches  of 
the  Moosie,  in  the  territory  of  Palembaug.  I  thought  I  had 
given  satisfaction  to  my  government,  which  I  think  was  the  case; 
but  I  had  displeased  De  Brauw,  the  same  cold  traitor,  who  sent 
us  both  here. 

The  royal  adjutant  who  rules  our  Dutchmen  at  Palcmbang, 
could  be  heard  against  any  one,  when  the  late  Governor-general 
Roehussen  ruled  at  Batavia ;  but  a  new  man  has  come  out,  who 
sat  on  the  same  benches,  where  I  had  learning  beaten  into  me,  in 
the  High  School  of  Utrecht ;  and  I  hope  soon  to  have  a  backer 
against  the  Resident  of  Palembang,  in  the  person  of  an  eld 
schoolmate,  the  new  Governor-general,  Puymaer  Van  Twist. 

We  were  speaking  of  this  coincidence  of  experience,  and  dis 
cussing  the  character  of  the  Resident  of  Palembang.  The  lugu 
brious  faca-of  the  turnkey  appeared.  His  hand  wielded  a  huge 


254  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

key;  and  from  the  lank,  wilted,  dead  face,  there  came  a  voice, 
that  bade  us  fall  back, — get  in, — Hold,  you  smccrlop,  roared 
the  Baron,  with  voice  of  command;  you  gallows-cheating  dra 
goon; — touch  your  cap,  and  speak  as  an  old  foraging  lancer 
should,  to  gentlemen. 

Blixem, — growled  the  turnkey; — giving  the  Baron  a  shove, — 
butt  against  me;  and  as  we  staggered  into  our  quarters,  rusty 
bolts  rolled  gratingly  into  their  sockets. 

The  Baron,  after  some  mutterings  of  anger;  spoke,  with  re 
turning  good  humor,  about  the  fortune  of  war :  the  jailer,  once  a 
petty  officer;  a  non-commissioned  adjutant,  had  served  under 
him ;  and  Beckers,  an  old  dragoon,  in  a  regiment  of  lancers,  who 
had  often  curried  the  horse  of  the  Captain,  after  being  invalided 
by  the  bite  of  a  serpent,  which  gave  him  his  dead  snake  skin, 
had  been  made  lieutenant-jailer. 

My  fellow  prisoner  spoke  of  the  mean  economy  of  the  govern 
ment,  in  giving  to  such  refuse  of  the  army,  the  direction  of  so 
large  a  prison,  containing  so  many  gentlemen,  who  had  filled  high 
military  and  civil  stations.  But  the  same  government  that  wants 
a  jailer  for  its  chief  prison,  who  will  accept  of  600  recepissen 
(about  $200),  wishes  to  feed  gentlemen  prisoners  with  twenty 
cents  a  day,  which  furnished  the  rice  and  fish  curry  that  now  in 
vited  our  prison  appetites. 

Whilst  we  eat  our  coarse  meal  together,  the  Baron  continued 
his  description  of  our  fellow-prisoners;  along  with  a  running 
commentary  upon  the  governmental  talent,  that  took  so  large  a 
part  in  the  direction  of  the  affairs  of  Netherland  India,  at  the 
jail  head-quarters  of  Weltevreden. 

The  late  administrator  of  the  army  of  Java,  was  in  the  next 
block,  to  our  left.  A  venerable  military  officer  of  high  rank,  who 
had  enjoyed  the  favor  of  the  late  king;  and  was  decorated  with 


CAUSES    OF    MADNESS.  255 

the  royal  orders  of  William  of  Nassau;  and  of  the  Lion  of  the 
Netherlands;  but  the  new  king,  who  "knew  not  Joseph," 
listened  to  councillors,  who  were  hostile  to  the  distinguished  old 
servant  of  his  father ;  and  permits  the  gray  hairs  of  Col.  Joseph 
Timmermans  to  remain  in  one  of  the  felon  cells  of  Weltevreden. 

The  Colonel,  by  which  title,  he  is  best  known  in  prison,  was 
at  the  head  of  the  civil  direction  of  the  affairs  of  the  army  of 
the  Netherlands  in  Java,  during  the  five  years  war,  between  1 825 
and  1830,  against  Deepo  Negoro,  and  Sintot;  those  celebrated 
Princes  of  Yugyakerta,  and  though  he  holds  no  longer  any 
official  portfolio  of  war,  though  he  can  serve  his  country  no 
longer  openly,  and  is  stripped  of  his  honors,  still  the  gray-headed, 
outraged  old  veteran,  serves  in  his  cell  with  his  great  experience, 
the  military  administration  of  Java. 

You  wonder  that  the  Colonel,  the  Resident,  and  others  con 
fined  here,  should  render  service  for  any  consideration  to  a  gov 
ernment,  that  holds  them  like  felons.  They  felt  as  you  do,  at 
first.  The  military  chief  entered  prison  like  a  stern,  indignant 
old  Roman.  He  trusted  that  when  his  countrymen  heard  of  the 
indignity  that  had  fallen  upon  his  decorated  gray  hairs,  that  they 
would  lay  siege  to  the  Palace,  and  the  Chambers  of  Deputies  at 
the  Hague,  and  demand  his  triumphant  restoration. 

But  time  wore  on  :  day  after  day,  of  many  months  and  years 
of  the  deadly  gloom  of  jail;  the  dirt,  the  coarse  fare,  the  brutal 
keepers,  the  weakening,  wilting  heat  of  Java; — all  common  wants 
uncared  for,  and  all  lack  of  soothing,  soon  sapped  the  pride  of 
heart;  and  then  memory  fades  in  this  eternal  heat,  in  close,  damp 
cells ;  the  old  brain  wandered  at  times ;  the  diseased  old  body, 
sick,  craved  some  comforts  of  its  keepers,  and  by  and  by,  had 
lost  sight  of  pride,  and  was  willing  to  work  with  plodding  pa 
tience  for  men,  on  whom  the  faded  pride  once  spat  upon. 


lioO  riutiON  OF  WELTEVUEDEN. 

This  is  the  course  of  every  one,  who  stay  a  time, — the  course 
to  madness,  or  hopeless  imbecility,  that  steals  with  fatal  certainty 
over  all, — the  old  after  the  third  or  fourth  year,  and  men  at  our 
time,  in  a  little  while  more.  I  have  been  here  but  one  year,  and 
even  now  I  feel  a  drooping  of  soul,  a  wasting  of  my  former  strong 
self,  that  appals  me ;  and  I  seek  refuge  in  strong  drink,  the  refuge 
of  all. 

You  think  that  helps  the  shattering  of  the  mind.  But  what 
shall  stay  up  the  weary,  fainting  agony  of  a  man,  worn  out  with 
daily  hope  or  apprehension.  There  is  no  certain  and  open  course 
of  law;  the  decision  of  one  court,  that  might  give  liberty  and 
property  to. day,  may  be  reversed  to-morrow,  by  a  secret  tribunal, 
which  you  have  never  seen;  decreeing  death  and  confiscation 
You  must  seek  refuge  in  drink,  till  madness  comes  to  your  help ; 
and  you  cry  out  with  the  lawyer,  "  There  is  no  law  in  India." 

Whilst  combatting  the  gloomy  and  hopeless  views  of  prison 
life,  of  the  Baron,  and  as  I  endeavored  to  rally  him  from  the 
sombre  state  into  which  he  had  fallen,  we  heard  a  shrill,  painful, 
feminine  laughter.  Another  mad  creature  in  prison :  a  little  more 
of  the  daily  music,  mingled  with  the  yells  of  the  mask  maniac ; 
and  the  occasional  shrieks  from  the  bastinado, — that  is  better  ac 
companied  with  brandy  than  philosophy,  said  the  Baron. 

You  will  hear  that  laughter  half  the  night,  if  you  are  not  a 
sound  sleeper.  It  comes  from  the  daughter  of  a  very  pretty 
woman  of  Pulo  Nias,  so  famous  for  fair  women;  and  of  an 
English  officer  of  Bencoolen  :  when  this  daughter  was  quite  young, 
and  she  is  not  more  than  twenty-five  now,  the  beautiful  Creole 
received  the  protection  of  the  President  of  the  Netherlands 
Trading  Company,  who  is  now  about  to  retire  to  Europe  with  an 
enormous  fortune.  With  the  loss  of  a  child,  she  lost  her  reason, 


THE    PRISON    WAITERS.  257 

and  the  protector  put  her  here,  paying  the  Government  the  price 
of  our  luxurious  board. 

I  do  not  know  her  name,  nor  that  of  her  father.  Mynheer 
Pieters  says  that  he  does  not  know  them  himself.  She  is  lodged 
in  the  servants'  ward,  in  the  rear  of  the  cell  of  mad  Grunewald. 
I  have  not  seen  her,  but  am  told  that  although  she  has  a  sharp, 
litful  maniac  look,  yet  her  face  is  pretty,  her  figure  exceedingly 
graceful,  and  has  most  magnificent  glossy  brown  hair,  flowing 
down  to  her  feet,  when  uncombed;  in  the  care  of  which,  she 
spends  her  time,  all  day. 

This  delicate  creature,  this  lonely  woman  tenant  of  the  prison, 
is  waited  upon  by  the  same  iron-collared  convicts,  who  bring  us 
our  rice  and  fish.  Those  coolies  with  the  scant  blue  pantaloon, 
the  penitential  dress,  are  all  condemned  pirates  and  assassins. 
That  stout  fellow,  who  brought  our  breakfast,  was  a  Dyak  pirate, 
and  convicted  of  lopping  off  several  human  heads,  and  government 
has  made  him  waiter  for  life,  at  the  Hotel  of  Weltevreden. 

Why  don't  they  hang  such  chaps  ?  Their  lives  are  valuable  • 
good  hands  for  mines,  and  public  works,  as  well  as  to  wait  on 
government  guests ;  only  hang  Dutchmen,  and  other  white  sub 
jects,  who  should  happen  to  amuse  themselves  with  throat-cutting; 
it  would  have  a  bad  effect  upon  the  native  mind,  to  see  Europeans 
doing  drudgery;  it  is  better  to  hang  them,  or  make  poor  crazy 
wretches  of  them,  lock  them  up,  and  feed  them  at  the  cost  of  six 
cents  a  day. 

We  expect  an  addition  to  our  corps  of  waiters,  a  Javanese 
young  gentleman,  just  condemned  to  a  life  of  light  employment, 
for  having  taken  the  life  of  a  midshipman  on  board  the  steamship 
Arjuno.  You  say  that  you  slept  in  the  berth  of  the  murdered 
man.  You  may  again  take  the  place  of  the  unfortunate  naval 
officer,  in  the  matter  of  waiting.  I  hope  that  the  exploits  of  the 


1258  PRISON    OF    WKLTEVUKDKX. 

cooly,  in  the  ward-room  of  the  steamship,  may  not  be  repeated  in 
block  No.  4  of  the  Prison  of  Weltevreden. 

You  think  that  there  is  something  horrible  in  all  this;  the 
mingling  of  state  prisoners,  or  suspected  gentlemen  like  yourself 
along  with  many  vile,  half-bred  felons,  whom  you  see  here ;  the 
mad  raving  amid  the  sane ;  and  the  employment  of  convicted  cut 
throats,  to  wait  upon  gentlemen  prisoners  of  state,  and  upon  a 
lonely,  delicate,  crazy  lady. 

You  have  probably  thought  of  preparing  an  indignation 
article  for  some  morning  newspaper,  the  usual  vent  of  an  English 
man,  and  I  believe  of  you  Americans,  also.  You  will  find  one 
little  journal  here,  the  Javaasche  Courant,  that  has  all  its  matter, 
leaders  and  correspondence  revised  at  the  palace  of  llyswick ;  and 
you  will  find  a  public  opinion  regulated  by  various  governmental 
grades  and  amounts  of  guilders;  the  public  opinion  of  all  govern 
ment  clients. 

You  must  have  patience,  for  my  countrymen  move  ver} 
slowly.  Our  justice  will  think  of  you  two  or  three  months  hence; 
will  inquire  into  your  case  a  few  months  later;  a  year  hence,  yon 
may  bo  acquitted  by  the  court  of  justice;  you  wait  for  months 
to  see  the  door  open  to  let  you  out;  and  by  and  by  you  learn  thai 
some  other  court  has  condemned  you  a  month  ago  to  three,  five, 
or  ten  years.  Such  has  been  the  fato  of  numbers  here ;  if  it  be 
yours,  and  you  lose  patience  and  hope,  try  a  little  brandy. 

Wines  and  liquors  are  not  allowed  in  prison;  but  moro  ex 
eluded  by  the  thirsty  guard  ever  watchful  for  drinkables,  that  arc 
more  confiscated  by  them,  than  by  any  force  of  law.  My  bankrupt 
friend,  in  the  open,  or  debtor's  ward,  receives  supplies  of  com 
forting  liquids  from  adroit  friends  outside ;  and  he,  with  some  of 
the  same  adroitness  passes  a  portion  to  me,  and  it  is  about  the 
hour  I  should  hear  from  my  bankrupt  Bacchus. 


THE     BAMBOO.  259 

The  Baron  approached  the  wall  of  our  little  court,  that  separated 
us  from  block  No.  2,  the  ward  of  the  rnad  lawyer,  and  bankrupt 
merchant.  He  stooped  low  down,  with  ear  inclined  to  listen. 
N"o  expected  sound ;  he  paced  to  and  fro  our  narrow,  wet,  high- 
walled  enclosure.  The  fine  face  looked  anxious ;  the  handsome 
features  frowned :  the  Baron  muttered,  cursed,  and  lost  his  tem 
per  and  politeness. 

It  was  noon-time;  hot,  stifling  air  filled  the  cells,  and  the 
narrow  court;  the  trader  and  schoolmaster  were  asleep  in  their 
cells ;  the  sentinel  had  leaned  his  musket  against  the  grating  of 
our  outer  door,  and  had  sat  down,  with  face  turned  to  the  wall,  to 
get  a  bit  of  shade  from  the  coping  stones  above.  The  stillness 
was  very  great,  broken  now  and  then,  by  a  mad  laugh,  or  a  soft 
note  from  a  burung  kukur,  under  the  verandah  of  the  jailer. 

The  surly  mood  of  my  fellow-prisoner  had  increased  :  he  paced 
restlessly,  and  listened  at  the  wall  from  time  to  time — I  heard  a 
low  grating  sound.  The  face  of  the  Baron  lighted  up ;  he  stepped 
with  stealthy  and  nervous  step  to  the  wall,  bidding  me  in  a  whisper 
to  keep  a  look  out  on  the  sentinel.  He  stooped  down  to  a  drain 
that  ran  before  our  doors,  carrying  off  the  moisture  of  the  cells 
and  the  yard,  and  passed  beneath  the  wall :  he  thrust  his  hand 
into  the  filth  of  the  drain ;  his  arm  passed  as  far  as  he  could  reach, 
under  the  wall;  and  after  groping  awhile,  withdrew  it  with 
triumphant  look,  with  a  bamboo,  like  a  walking  stick  in  his  hand. 

He  beckoned  me  to  follow  him,  and  when  beyond  observation, 
lie  pointed  with  great  glee  to  a  plug  in  the  small  end  of  the  bam 
boo  ;  he  pulled  it  out,  and  after  cleaning  and  wiping  it  offered  the 
open  end  to  me,  which  sent  forth  a  decided  smell  of  brandy.  I 
did  not  neen  any ;  never  had,  at  any  time  in  life.  Better 
begin  to  think  you  do  now;  said  the  Baron,  as  he  tipped  up  the 
bamboo,  and  took  a  long  draught,  from  the  long  goblet. 


260  PRISON  "OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

My  comrade  pronounced  his  bamboo,  the  staff  of  life;  and 
leaned  lovingly  upon  it,  till  the  pith  and  sap  began  to  fail,  as  the 
Baron  observed;  and  then  the  staff  proved  a  broken  reed  to  his 
tottering  steps,  and  left  the  trusting  man  prostrate  on  the  wet  floor 
of  his  cell.  I  raised  him  up,  and  put  him  on  his  sleeping  plat 
form.  He  sang  joyously;  he  raved  amusingly  of  the  schelms, 
Tdadddkers,  and  smeerlops,  the  rogues,  scamps  and  beasts,  and  Pie- 
ters  the  prince  of  rogues ;  who  entered  the  cell,  as  I  tried  to  per 
suade  the  Baron  to  sleep. 

How  had  he  got  the  drink,  the  little  red-faced  jailer  asked 
with  great  energy.  He  must  not  seek  information  of  me ;  although 
to  prevent  such  sad  havoc  on  so  fine  a  man  as  this,  I  might  have 
done  well  to  have  informed,  and  prevented  it.  The  half-breeds 
knew  nothing,  and  Mynheer  Pieters  locked  up  the  Baron,  and 
then  left,  with  a  threat  to  report  to  Mynheer  Van  Rees,  the  Resi 
dent  of  Batavia. 

Whilst  the  Baron  prolonged  his  maudlin  chant ;  and  hickuped 
his  abuse  of  the  two  adjutants;  the  royal,  and  the  petty  one;  the 
bastard  Belgian,  and  the  bastard  of  the  Hague;  thieves  of 
honors,  and  drink  ;  and  princes  of  rogues  and  jail  birds  at  Palem- 
bang  and  Weltevreden :  whilst  thus  he  sang  and  raved,  I  sat 
down  in  my  cell,  and  passed  the  rest  of  the  afternoon  alone 
musing  upon  my  situation,  and  the  experience  of  my  first  day  in 
the  Prison  of  Weltevreden. 

In  answer  to  the  inquiry  of  the  lady  of  the  Elder  Missionary, 
the  late  prisoner  of  Weltevreden  said,  that  an  afternoon  meal,  a 
dinner,  at  4  o'clock,  was  served  out  to  the  prisoners ;  the  same  rice 
and  fish  as  in  the  morning,  with  the  addition  of  a  small  piece  of 
pork,  from  which  a  thick  soup,  with  more  rice  and  beans,  had 
been  prepared.  There  were  other  prisoners  in  the  block,  described 


CHARACTER    OF     IMPRISONMENT. 


261 


by  the  Baron ;  and  four  large  blocks,  beyond  these,  the  gloomiest, 
closest  and  filthiest  portion  of  the  prison,  which  held  from  fifty 
to  a  hundred  soldiers,  common  felons,  and  men  condemned  to 
death  or  life  imprisonment.  The  prison  was  called  the  civil  and 
military  prison  of  Weltevreden.  The  imprisonment  was  not 
severe,  as  compared  with  many  European  and  American  prisons; 
for  with  their  close  and  silent  systems,  a  man  would  sink  down 
within  a  month,  in  the  climate  of  Java.  As  it  was, — the  cries 
of  maniacs  sounding  daily  in  the  ears,  the  wet  floors  of  the 
cells,  the  hot,  stifling  air,  and  the  uncertainty  of  law  in  Java, 
made  the  Prison  of  Weltevreden  tolerably  uncomfortable. 


U: 


THIRTY-FOURTH   DAY. 

I  WAS  roused  up  early,  on  the  morning  after  iny  first  night  in 
the  prison  of  Weltevrcden,  by  a  loud  tattoo,  the  reveille  of  the 
troops  stationed  at  Batavia,  whose  barracks  were  ranged  behind 
and  adjoining  the  prison.  I  heard  the  measured  tramp  of  feet, 
entering  the  main  court  of  the  prison,  then  some  loud,  quick,  and 
long  rolling  words  of  command;  the  tramp  stopped,  another  loud, 
and  long  rolling  sound  of  voice ;  the  butts  of  muskets  thundered 
on  the  ground ;  and  I  could  see  through  the  grating  in  the  doorway, 
that  led  into  the  main  court,  a  file  of  soldiers,  formed  in  line  near 
the  platform  where  the  bastinado  was  applied. 

An  officer  in  the  uniform  of  a  colonel,  and  who  held  a  paper 
in  his  hand,  conversed  with  the  jailer — the  turnkey  appeared  with 
his  keys;  he  went  towards  the  gloomy  cells,  accompanied  by  four 
soldiers,  and  returned  with  two  men,  stripped  to  a  pair  of  short 
drawers;  both  soldiers,  the  one  short  and  fleshy;  and  the  other 
very  spare  made.  They  were  bade  to  lay  themselves,  face  down 
wards,  on  the  platform;  their  feet  were  made  fast  in  stocks;  and 
a  soldier,  at  the  arm  of  each  man,  held  him  firmly  upon  the  plat 
form. 

Two  huge-built  Africans  wielded  thick  rattans,  whose  leaded 
ends  sprang  to  and  fro,  with  lengthened  sweep,  as  they  swung 


THE    BASTINADO.  263 

them  in  the  air,  with  nervous  play  of  hand,  eager  to  hit  something 
more  solid  than  to  be  striking  at  space.  The  officer  spoke  in 
command ;  the  negroes  stepped  forward,  and  drew  the  garment  of 
the  prostrate  men  below  their  loins,  the  rattans  were  raised,  and 
fell  with  a  dull,  deadly  sound  upon  human  flesh. 

The  stout  man  groaned,  and  the  thin  man  shrieked;  again 
>md  again,  the  torturing  rods  fell  upon  the  quivering  flesh ;  and 
us  I  counted  the  strokes,  I  could  count  the  raised  ridges,  the 
bloody  wales,  that  corded  the  flesh  of  the  unfortunate  men.  They 
had  received  four  and  twenty  murderous  blows;  a  man  in  civil 
dress,  a  surgeon,  stepped  forward,  looked  at  the  work  of  the 
blacks,  he  spoke  to  the  officer,  who  spoke  again  in  command;  the 
i'eet  and  hands  were  loosened,  the  stout  man  stood  up,  the  thin 
one  lay  still;  they  turned  up  his  face,  it  was  ghastly  pale,  the 
surgeon  felt  the  thin  man's  pulse ;  he  had  only  fainted ;  two  iron- 
collared  convicts  took  him  by  the  arms  and  feet,  and  bore  him  off 
to  his  cell ;  after  this,  there  was  another  hoarse  rattle  of  voice, 
muskets  clattered ;  and  whilst  listening  to  the  retiring  tramp,  the 
bolts  grated  in  the  doorway,  the  dead  snake  face  of  the  dragoon 
iippeared,  and  after  him,  the  Dyak  pirate,  bringing  my  rice  and 
iish  for  the  morning. 

The  bastinado  had  taken  away  my  appetite ;  and  while  I  sat 
in  my  cell,  thinking  with  gloomy  thoughts  upon  the  courtyard 
scene,  the  Baron  entered.  He  hailed  me  with  a  groaned  good 
morning;  his  head  was  tied  up,  his  eyes  were  bloodshot;  I  spoke 
of  what  I  had  seen ;  such  savage  blows  upon  a  man  of  small 
frame;  but  I  thought  that  he  had  suffered  as  much  from  the 
brandy  loaded  bamboo,  his  "  staff  of  life,"  as  the  poor  wretches 
1;  ad  from  lead-loaded  canes. 

He  laughed  at  my  loss  of  appetite ;  another  bamboo  would 
put  him  all  right  again ;  some  things  were  cured  by  the  cause, 


2(54  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

fire  was  good  for  burns,  iron  rust  for  spear  wounds;  see  the  case 
of  the  Greek  hero  at  Troy ;  but  bastinado  bruises  were  not  cured 
by  a  little  more  of  the  cane.  My  stomach  would  be  stronger,  by 
and  by ;  bastinado  was  the  morning  recreation  of  the  prison ;  he 
had  felt  too  much  invalided  to  turn  out,  but  had  I  not  seen  the 
other  gratings,  all  crowded  with  dirty  beards  and  eyes?  Why, 
nine  tenths  of  the  fashionable  world  would  give  the  price  of  an 
opera  season  ticket  for  these  grating  privileges ;  and  of  our  block 
in  particular;  for  besides  the  bastinado  in  the  main  court,  we  of 
this  ward  alone,  can  enjoy  the  hangings  that  come  off,  about  once 
a  month  in  the  marsh,  of  which  you  have  such  fine  prospect, 
through  the  bars  of  your  rear  wall  window. 

His  humor  and  flow  of  spirits  began  to  rally  me,  and  with 
amusing  philosophic  comment,  we  went  to  work  with  our  fingers 
upon  our  rice  and  fish  rations.  We  were  scooping  out  the  bottoms 
of  our  bowls,  when  I  heard  a  soft,  clear  voice,  cry  out,  Papa 
Koptyne,  Papa  Captain.  My  little  girl,  said  the  Baron,  she  wan 
sick  yesterday,  and  did  not  come.  She  is  too  late,  and  cannot  get 
in  now.  I  looked  out,  and  saw  a  little  face,  jumping  up  to  the 
grating,  in  the  doorway  of  the  main  court,  and  crying  out,  Papa, 
Papa  Captain. 

The  Baron  went  to  the  grating  and  spoke  to  the  sentinel,  who 
growled  a  dissent  to  what  was  said.  The  Baron  turned  to  me,  to 
ask  if  I  had  any  small  coins;  I  handed  him  one:  the  sentinel 
received  it,  and  immediately  stepped  away  from  his  post  to  call 
the  turnkey ;  that  functionary  needed  a  coaxing  coin  as  well  a,s 
the  sentinel.  The  great  door  grated  on  its  hinges,  and  in  jumped 
a  very  pretty,  graceful,  bright-eyed  creature,  a  little  native  girl, 
between  ten  and  eleven  years  of  age,  and  followed  by  a  stout, 
coarse  Malay  woman  in  servile  dress. 

The  face  of  the  child  was  like  amber,  or  a  beautiful  blending 


THE    FOSTER    CHILD.  265 

of  burnished  gold  and  olive,  tinting  the  fine  lines  of  high  Suma- 
tran  race.  A  slender  little  figure  was  dressed  in  a  yellow  sarong, 
:md  a  white  kabyah ;  her  little  feet  were  bare,  and  she  held  in  her 
hand  some  bunches  of  fruits,  which  she  laid  down  on  the  ground, 
as  she  ran  forward,  with  outstretched  arms  to  embrace  the  Baron. 

The  little  girl  drew  back,  she  frowned,  and  muttered  in  Malay, 
that  her  papa  captain  was  bad ;  she  smelt  strong  water,  and  she 
.^aw  the  fire  of  it,  burning  in  his  eyes ;  she  would  not  kiss  such  a 
"bad,  ugly  papa  captain.  The  Baron  approached  her  with  coaxing 
look  and  words,  but  the  indignant  little  maiden  ran  away,  and  as 
he  chased,  she  slipped  with  swift  foot  from  side  to  side,  and  when 
the  battled  and  panting  Baron  gave  up  the  chase,  she  sat  down 
and  laughed  merrily  in  a  corner. 

My  moral  reformer,  said  he  to  me,  when  he  had  recovered 
his  breath;  she  lectures  me  like  a  curate;  but  she  is  to  me  like  my 
own  child.  A  poor  little  foundling : — A  very  curious  story  I  ha.ve 
to  tell  about  her;  and  whilst  we  eat  some  of  the  fruit  she  has 
brought,  I  will  give  you  the  history  of  my  little  Umbah. 

The  Baron  picked  up  the  fruits  that  had  been  thrown  down ; 
there  were  some  mangosteens,  dookoos,  and  rambutans.  We 
burst  open  with  our  fingers  the  purple  globe-shaped  rind  of  the 
mangosteen,  it  being  soft,  like  a  green  walnut  hull,  when  fresh 
pulled,  and  becoming  hard  as  wood  after  a  couple  of  days.  The 
delicate  white  pulp,  in  five  clove-shaped  compartments,  was 
thrilling  to  the  palate  and  nostril,  like  the  blending  of  honey, 
cream,  roses,  and  all  that  is  best  and  finest  of  sweet  and  acid,  in 
the  best  of  fruits;  of  melon,  peach  and  cheremoya;  such  is  the 
custard  pulp  of  this  imperial  luxury  of  the  oriental  orchard. 

One  can  afford  to  eat  rice  and  fish  with  our  fingers,  with  such 
dessert,  said  the  Baron  with  smothered  words,  and  mouth  half- 
buried  in  one  of  the  fruity  hemispheres  just  burst  open.  I  should 
12 


266  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

be  underground  now,  were  it  not  for  mangosteens ;  they  are  the 
only  things  that  can  make  true  the  saying,  of  raising  an  appetite 
under  the  ribs  of  death.  I  have  been  twice  at  my  last  gasp, 
broken  down  by  long  marches  in  the  swamps  of  Sumatra;  my 
bamboo  failed,  but  a  taste  of  mangosteen  raised  me  up  from  tho 
grave. 

I  thought  he  had  better  stick  to  mangosteen  and  drop  the  bam 
boo  :  not  so,  said  the  Baron ;  they  had  their  appropriate  spheres, 
the  one  to  cure  fever,  and  the  other  low  spirits.  But  fever  and 
mangosteen  reminds  me  of  the  story  that  I  promised  you.  By 
this  time  the  little  girl  had  stolen  into  the  cell,  and  taking  a  place, 
at  an  end  of  the  platform  farthest  from  us,  sat  in  her  own  eastern 
way,  watching  me  with  earnest  eyes;  as  the  Baron  talked  on, 
making  frequent  mention  of  her  name. 

HISTORY    OF    UMBAII. 

I  was  at  one  time,  on  a  march  with  a  company  of  men,  in  the 
territory  of  the  Ampat  Lawang,  in  Sumatra.  We  were  in  pur 
suit  of  some  plundering  marauders  from  the  country  of  the  Ren- 
tjon  Tingga;  who  made  forays  upon  those  dusuiis,  or  villages, 
whose  people  were  well  affected  towards  the  garrison  at  Laliat. 
We  approached  a  dusun,  late  in  the  afternoon,  where  I  wished  to 
halt,  being  feverish,  and  unable  to  go  any  farther. 

We  heard  shouts  and  shrieks,  as  we  drew  near,  and  saw  thick 
clouds  of  smoke  rising  up :  I  felt  roused ;  and  gave  the  word  to  go 
forward  with  quickened  pace.  As  we  entered,  some  marauding 
lancers  of  the  mountains  were  running  out;  the  place  was  sacked, 
every  house  was  in  flames;  and  dead  bodies  of  men,  women,  and 
children  were  strewn  around.  We  gave  the  brigands  a  volley  as 
they  fled,  and  charged  in  pursuit. 


THE    FOUNDLING    OF    PASSUMAII.  267 

I  was  now  very  faint,  and  in  the  confusion  and  smoke,  fell 
without  being  noticed  by  my  men.  I  struck  my  head  against 
a  stone,  and  lay  senseless  for  a  time;  and  when  I  returned  to 
consciousness,  I  still  lay  helpless,  and  raging  with  fever ;  no  help 
was  near,  my  men  were  gone,  would  suppose  me  killed ;  they  would 
not  return  that  way.  I  began  to  think  of  the  future  world,  and 
as  I  groaned  for  mercy  and  a  little  water,  I  heard  a  cry,  a  sad, 
plaintive  baby  cry. 

A  baby  alone  with  me,  amid  these  burnt  ruins;  the  wailing 
little  voice  rose  up  again  on  the  air,  it  roused  me,  I  got  up  on  my 
feet,  and  staggered  towards  the  sound.  It  came  from  near  the 
chief  dwelling  of  the  place,  as  I  judged  from  the  size  of  the 
ruin.  I  approached  a  group  of  bananas;  the  cry  sounded  louder, 
but  the  smoke  prevented  me  from  seeing,  and  whilst  stag 
gering,  with  eyes  closed  from  time  to  time,  I  heard  the  cry 
right  under  my  feet,  and  then  saw  a  baby,  upon  which  I  had 
almost  stumbled,  lying  upon  its  back. 

A  little  girl  baby,  not  more  than  six  or  eight  months  old. 
Poor  little  thing,  I  forgot  my  fever  for  a  time;  I  took  it  up  in  my 
arms,  and  wiped  the  blinding  tears  out  of  its  little  bright  eyes; 
and  as  I  fondled,  and  rocked  it  in  my  arms,  it  ceased  its  crying, 
and  turned  its  face,  sobbing,  towards  my  breast.  What  was  to  be 
done  now  ?  a  baby  could  not  be  much  help  for  a  sick  man ;  nor  a 
sick  man  for  a  baby.  I  felt  fever  and  faintness  coming  over  me. 
I  could  die  alone,  but  could  not  listen  to  the  moans  of  a  dying 
child. 

I  began  to  think  of  crawling  away;  and  thought  somehow, 
as  I  had  been  forced  to  leave  many  a  dying  comrade,  to  leave  the 
little  innocent  to  the  mercy  of  God.  My  body  raged,  and  my 
head  swam :  but  this  abandonment  seemed  too  horrible.  I  would 
try  to  crawl  beyond  the  smoke ,  and  try  to  find  water,  that  I  knew 


268  PRISON    OP    WELTEVREDEN. 

must  be  near.  I  had  not  staggered  many  paces,  when  I  saw  fruits 
on  the  ground, — almost  such  a  lot  as  we  have  before  us, — with 
mangosteens  among  them. 

I  had  just  strength  enough  left  to  burst  one  of  the  purple 
rinds;  the  fragrance  inspirited  me;  the  delicious  pulp  went  straight 
to  my  heart,  and,  as  I  quaffed  down  this  rich  cordial  of  nature,  my 
strength  came,  and  raised  me  right  up;  and  baby  was  not  forgot 
ten,  for  at  each  pulp  draught  I  took,  I  moistened  a  little  gaping 
mouth,  close  by  my  breast. 

I  was  not  well,  I  was  not  fully  strong;  but  the  noble  fruit 
had  restored  much  of  my  strength ;  and  all  my  hope  and  energy. 
I  followed  the  track  of  my  men ;  I  knew  they  would  not  camp 
far  off;  and  would  waste  no  time  in  running  after  the  nimble 
scamps,  who  were  already  in  the  mountain.  I  was  not  mistaken ; 
I  came  up  with  their  encampment,  after  two  hours  weary  march 
ing  :  about  to  lie  down  in  despair  in  the  dark,  I  heard  the  com 
pany's  dog,  found  my  men,  fainted  away,  and  lay  in  a  tent, 
delirious  for  a  couple  of  days. 

I  had  said  a  word  about  the  child  before  dropping  down;  and 
had  handed  it  to  the  wife  of  my  servant,  to  take  care  of.  The 
little  girl  was  brought  safe  to  Lahat.  She  grew  fat  and  strong : 
she  soon  ran  after  me  ;  a  real  "  child  of  the  regiment,"  began  to 
call  me,  Papa  Captain.  I  came  to  Batavia;  my  troubles  com 
menced  ;  after  a  time,  entered  prison,  where  the  little  foundling 
of  the  Passumah  comes  to  scold  me  about  the  use  of  the  bamboo; 
and  to  bring  me  mangosteens. 

I  had  given  her  an  elegant  European  name ;  but  my  servants 
have  called  her  Urnbah,  the  wave ;  and  perhaps  suits  the  little 
Malay  better  than  Mathildc  or  Louise.  She  was  probably  the 
daughter  of  the  Kapala,  or  chief  of  the  dusun  that  was  sacked. 
She  had  some  rich  trinkets  of  gold  and  pearl  around  her  neck ; 


SUNSHINE    IN    THE    PRISON.  269 

and  had  a  heavy  band  of  gold  round  her  right  wrist.  But  with 
out  those  little  trinkets  of  aristocracy,  the  fine  lines  of  her  face, 
of  the  highest  Sunaatran  Malay  type,  would  show  that  she  was  of 
high  race. 

She  comes  to  see  me  every  day,  accompanied  by  one  or  both 
of  my  old  servants,  who  still  cling  to  me  in  misfortune ;  and  now, 
whilst  I  am  stripped  of  every  thing,  they  work  for  their  own 
living,  and  furnish  me  with  all  the  comforts  they  can  obtain  for 
me.  Umbah,  who  has  the  freedom  of  the  prison,  at  certain 
hours,  brings  me  a  daily  addition  of  fruits  and  flowers,  to  the 
coarse  ration  of  the  jail. 

I  spoke  to  Umbah;  she  came  towards  me  with  open  face  and 
confiding  manner.  I  spoke  of  Lahat,  and  the  land  of  Passumah: 
she  remembered  the  Lamatang,  the  top  of  Gunung  Dempoh,  and 
tho  rambahya  on  the  Moosie ;  her  mother  lived  in  the  Ulu ;  and 
when  her  Papa  Captain  had  left  the  house  of  care  (rumah  susah), 
as  Malays  call  a  prison,  he  would  take  her  in  a  prahu  to  Lahat ; 
and  then  she  would  ride  upon  an  elephant  to  go  and  meet  her 
mother  at  the  foot  of  Dempoh. 

I  had  lost  my  vocabulary,  and  all  the  rest  of  my  papers; 
fallen,  as  I  then  thought,  into  the  hands  of  my  captors ;  and  I 
needed  the  aid  of  the  Baron,  to  understand  Umbah.  He  had  a 
Dutch  and  Malay  vocabulary,  and  with  my  knowledge  of  the 
former,  I  tried  to  talk  with  the  little  Malay  maiden,  whilst  her 
papa  captain  went  to  look  through  the  grating  at  some  military 
prisoners  just  brought  into  the  main  court. 

Umbah  could  not  read  nor  write ;  but  she  had  in  her  head 
many  pantuns,  and  stories  of  the  wayang :  a  hadjy  began  to  teach 
her  the  Arab  letters  and  the  koran ;  and  her  papa  captain  had 
taught  her  letters  in  a  book  of  the  orang  Wolanda ;  but  she  did 


270  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

not  like  the  hadjy ;  and  her  papa  captain  \vas  BO  often  crazy  with 
strong  water,  that  she  had  but  a  very  little  piece  of  the  koran  and 
"Wolanda  book  in  her  head :  she  would  like  so  much  to  have  more. 

I  discovered  that  she  knew  the  Roman  alphabet :  with  my 
help,  she  joined  some  letters  together  in  syllables,  and  with 
repeated  efforts  made  out  some  simple  Malay  words  in  the  book. 
She  was  delighted,  she  wanted  to  be  able  to  read  books,  like  the 
European  ladies  of  Batavia,  when  she  had  grown  up  to  be  a 
woman.  Then  she  would  become  rich ;  and  buy  a  beautiful  horse, 
and  a  fine  sword  for  her  papa  captain,  he  would  be  happy,  and  he 
would  drink  strong  water  no  more. 

I  was  charmed  with  the  quickness  of  perception,  assiduity, 
patience  and  ambition  of  the  little  Malay;  and  still  more  with 
her  hopeful,  earnest,  and  affectionate  heart.  The  gloom  of  the 
prison  was  chased  away  by  the  light  of  her  presence.  My  late 
troubled  experience  was  forgotten  in  the  interest  of  her  story; 
and  I  began  to  feel  a  pleasure  in  the  contemplation  of  the  devel 
opment  of  this  little  Malay  mind,  that  made  me,  for  the  time, 
unmindful  of  the  discomfort  of  the  close  cell,  the  wet  floor,  and 
the  coarse  fare  that  had  sickened  my  soul  the  day  before. 

As  we  conned  over  some  words  of  the  vocabulary,  we  heard 
the  voice  of  the  Baron,  in  loud,  obstreperous  and  drunken  tones, 
vociferating  all  the  coarse  and  emphatic  words  of  the  language 
of  Holland;  so  pithy  and  foul  in  its  slang  and  blasphemy.  I 
stepped  forth,  and  saw  my  cell  neighbor  stripped  to  his  waist,  and 
flourishing  a  fresh  bamboo  in  his  right  hand ;  whilst  with  his  left, 
he  held  the  half-breed  trader  by  the  throat,  backed  up  against  the 
gateway  of  the  main  court,  and  was  about  to  dose  him,  as  he 
said,  with  the  outside  of  his  bamboo. 

I  saw,  through  the  grating,  the  red  face  of  tho  jailer,  seeming 
to  make  struggling  exertion  to  force  the  door,  which  opened 
inside;  but  was  held  closed  by  the  pressure  of  the  choking 


DISCIPLINE   OF    THE    PRISON.  271 

trader,  held  against  it  by  the  infuriated  Baron.  But,  strange 
.sight  for  a  prison  scene,  I  saw  the  turnkey  inside,  squatted  on  the 
ground  with  back  against  the  door,  and  heels  dug  into  the  ground, 
struggling  to  keep  the  jailer  out;  and  looking  up  with  drunken 
leering  glee  at  the  belaboring  of  the  trader  by  the  Baron. 

I  ran  to  keep  the  peace,  and  to  help  the  chief  authority  of  the 
jail.  I  seized  the  uplifted  bamboo,  and  drew  back  the  Baron. 
Mynheer  Pieters  entered :  he  kicked  his  lieutenant,  who  struggled 
on  all-fours  to  get  upon  his  feet :  the  trader  made  piteous  appeal 
and  protestation ;  the  Baron  cursed  louder  and  lustier  than  before, — 
little  Umbah  cried  out,  pattered  with  her  feet,  and  beat  the  air 
with  her  hands;  whilst  myself  and  the  great  stolid  face  of  the 
grinning,  listless  Dutch  sentinel,  stood  for  a  time,  wondering  spec 
tators  of  this  scene  in  the  prison  of  Weltevreden. 

After  a  quarter  of  an  hour  of  the  mingled  din,  of  Dutch  and 
Malay  outcries,  I  began  to  learn  that  the  turnkey  occasionally 
tasted  of  the  small  end  of  the  Baron's  bamboo ;  he  had  been  seen 
to  totter  after  these  leanings  upon  the  "  staff  of  life :  "  the  gover 
nor  had  suspected  the  Baron,  and  instructed  the  half-breed  spy 
in  our  ward  to  watch ;  he,  whilst  supposed  to  be  sleeping,  had  seen 
through  a  crevice  in  his  cell  door,  the  bamboo  obtained  through 
the  drain — had  seen  the  turnkey  enter,  at  a  signal  made  by  the 
Baron ;  and  then  he,  in  a  concerted  manner,  had  thrown  over  the 
wall,  a  note  attached  to  a  stone,  and  gave  the  information  which 
brought  the  jailer. 

The  turnkey  had  been  denouncing  the  trader  as  a  spy;  who 
had  been  suspected  before,  and  when  the  head  jailer  was  seen  to 
approach,  the  Baron  had  no  doubt  about  the  informant,  and 
began  to  belabor  him  as  I  have  described. 

If  I  had  not  seen  the  glistening  bayonets,  the  gloomy  senti 
nels,  in  front  and  rear,  and  all  around ;  who  with  frowning  looks, 


272  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

bid  me  stay  within  a  narrow  limit  of  high-walled  barriers,  and 
iron-barred  doors ;  and  in  a  close,  wet  resting-place,  I  should  have 
thought  that  I  was  in  some  riotous  quarter  of  the  city  of  Batavia, 
where  drunken  riots  were  the  common  scenes  of  the  day. 

I  was  in  a  large  and  dreary  prison,  filled  with  military  officers 
and  common  soldiers,  with  gentlemen  and  coolies,  with  state 
prisoners  and  the  meanest  of  felons;  with  suspected  and  con 
victed  men;  with  maniacs; — men  and  women,  all  jumbled 
together; — guarded  by  a  troop  of  stolid  brutes  of  soldiers;  and 
directed  by  a  vulgar,  pensioned  petty  officer,  and  still  more 
vulgar,  bestial  old  dragoon. 

I  had  wondered  at  a  great  many  things ;  at  the  bold  language 
of  the  Baron,  at  the  repulse  of  the  dragoon;  and  their  after 
guzzling  companionship.  I  wondered  at  such  riotous  disturbance 
of  the  peace  of  the  prison,  so  lightly  passed  over,  when  appeased, 
by  the  authorities  of  the  prison,  but  I  began  to  perceive  some 
thing  of  the  many  influences  that  affected  the  discipline  and 
direction  of  the  jail. 

The  Baron  had  many  friends,  with  position  and  power.  The 
President  of  the  Court  of  justice  at  Batavia,  had  been  his  fellow 
schoolmate  at  Utrecht;  and  the  new  Governor-General  was  ex 
pected  to  extend  to  him  executive  favor,  on  account  of  similar 
scholastic  reminiscences ;  and  many  of  the  officers,  who  were  quar 
tered  around  the  prison,  and  controlled  a  great  deal  its  internal 
economy,  were  haters  of  De  Brauw,  and  his  connection  at  Bata 
via,  and  were  sympathizers  with  the  Baron. 

The  consciousness  of  these  influences  made  the  jailer  obsequi 
ous  at  times ;  but  as  there  were  others,  equally  powerful,  who 
would  expect  greater  severity  and  closer  discipline  ;  he  ma 
noeuvred  as  he  best  could,  to  wink  at  all  excess,  where  winking 
was  safe,  in  order  to  plea,se  the  military  influence ;  and  yet  keep 


THE    FRIENDLY   FISKAAL.  273 

the  disorders  of  his  charge  concealed  from  the  civil  influence  that 
appointed  and  paid  him,  which  he  failed  to  do  at  times,  as  on  this 
occasion. 

I  had  entered  the  cell  of  the  Baron,  to  quiet  IJmbah,  whilst 
the  din  of  voices  was  still  prolonged.  It  was  suddenly  hushed; 
I  looked  and  saw  the  benevolent  face  of  him  who  had  questioned 
me  on  board  the  Boreas.  The  jailer  with  face  very  pale,  stood 
before  me,  and  said  the  Fiskaal  wished  to  see  me  in  my  room. 
The  turnkey  had  slunk  away ;  the  Baron  stood  with  defiant  air, 
:md  folded  arms  in  the  centre  of  our  little  court;  and  the  trader, 
with  fawning,  suppliant  look,  was  making  explanation  to  the 
Fiskaal  and  pointing  to  me ;  but  that  functionary  bade  him  enter 
his  cell,  motioned  to  the  Baron  to  enter  his,  and  ordered  the 
jailer  to  lock  the  doors. 

The  officer  of  justice  said  that  it  was  his  unpleasant  duty  to 
.search  my  person  and  cell,  for  any  papers  that  I  might  have 
secreted.  I  had  no  personal  effects  with  me,  nothing  but  a  few 
sheets  and  a  pillow  for  my  sleeping  accommodation.  My  baggage 
had  been  left  on  board  my  own  vessel,  and  the  Boreas.  I  was 
then  suffering  for  want  of  a  change  of  linen.  The  benevolent 
functionary  was  indignant  at  the  neglect,  and  would  send  an  order 
to  the  commander  of  the  guard-ship  to  have  my  effects  sent  ashore. 

The  oppas,  and  the  secretary  or  translator,  who  accompanied 
the  Fiskaal,  began  to  inspect  my  cell :  one  began  to  handle  and 
examine  the  mattress  on  my  platform,  the  other  had  my  pillow  in 
his  hand,  which  was  closed  with  a  running  cord  like  a  sailor's 
sack ;  he  had  opened  the  mouth,  and  was  thrusting  his  hand  into 
some  stuffing  moss,  with  which  it  seemed  to  be  filled,  when  the 
magistrate  made  a  motion  with  his  hand  to  desist,  and  asked  me 
to  give  my  word  of  honor,  that  I  had  no  papers,  concealed  about 
my  person  or  in  my  room,  which  I  did,  and  the  inspection  ceased. 
12* 


274  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

The  Fiskaal  went  to  speak  with  the  Baron,  and  bade  the 
jailer,  who  stood  at  my  door,  cap  in  hand,  to  lead  me  to  tho 
Chamber  of  Instruction,  to  await  his  coming.  At  the  doorway 
of  the  main  court,  I  found  Umbah  seated  on  the  ground,  her 
hands  covering  her  face  and  sobbing  bitterly;  her  papa  captain 
was  shut  up,  the  servant  had  not  come  to  take  her  home,  and  she 
was  afraid  to  go  out  alone  to-day,  to  pass  some  drunken  soldiers,  who 
stood  at  the  great  gate;  she  was  not  always  afraid  of  them;  but 
afraid  of  the  drunken  dragoon,  who  would  come  into  the  court, 
when  the  Fiskaal,  and  jailer  and  myself  were  gone. 

I  told  Umbah  to  follow  me;  the  jailer  bade  her  go  away,  to 
go  out  of  the  prison;  she  cowered  with  fear;  I  took  her  by  the; 
hand,  intending  to  ask  the  Fiskaal,  to  allow  his  servant  to 
accompany  her  beyond  the  precincts  of  the  prison:  the  jailer 
seized  another  hand,  the  child  clung  to  me;  the  Officer  of  Justice 
appeared,  the  jailer  began  to  explain,  he  was  requested  to  bo 
silent,  and  Umbah  followed  me  to  the  Chamber  of  Instruction. 

THE    HALL    OF    INSTRUCTION. 

I  entered  the  little  room,  where  Sheriff  Brower  had  intro 
duced  me  to  Mynheer  Pieters.  A  functionary  in  black  sat  at 
the  desk  with  a  large  bundle  of  papers  before  him ;  the  Fiskaal 
and  the  translator  occupied  the  other  two  leather-covered  arm 
chairs,  and  a  seat  was  placed  for  me.  The  formality  of  asking 
name,  age,  birthplace  and  so  forth,  was  gone  through;  and  then 
the  Fiskaal  addressed  to  me  some  questions  about  the  conduct  of 
my  fellow-prisoners  and  the  discipline  of  the  prison. 

I  had  hoped  to  learn  what  was  the  foundation  for  the  charge 
alleged  against  me,  which  had  led  the  authorities  of  Holland  at 
Palembang  to  seize  me,  my  crew  and  vessel ;  and  which  caused 


275 

the  authorities  of  Holland  at  Batavia  to  subject  me  to  confinement 
in  a  vile  prison,  without  allowing  me  an  opportunity  to  communi 
cate  with  any  countryman  or  counsel  of  any  kind,  and  I  did  not 
expect  to  be  called  upon  to  act  the  part  of  an  informer ;  a  vocation 
as  unfamiliar  and  detestable  in  my  country,  as  was  the  crime 
with  the  commission  of  which  I  was  charged. 

The  Fiskaal  was  authorized  to  seek  instruction  or  information 
from  every  source  in  order  to  subserve  justice,  and  the  proper 
administration  of  the  laws :  I  must  not  think  that  every  question 
was  put  to  me  in  the  spirit  of  espionage ;  or  that  the  course  of 
law  was  inquisitorial  in  Netherland  India,  because  I  had  not  been 
allowed  to  consult  with  legal  counsel;  why  should  I  need  any 
advice,  to  prepare  my  answers,  if  I  felt  a  conviction  of  my  inno 
cence,  and  that  a  simple  statement  of  facts  would  establish  it. 

I  felt  surprised  that  I  should  be  subjected  to  any  interrogation 
whatever.  I  was  arrested  for  having  caused  to  be  written,  and 
sent,  a  letter  addressed  to  the  sultan  of  Jambee.  I  had  acknow 
ledged,  did  now  acknowledge  the  dictation  and  signing  of  such  a 
letter.  Let  the  tribunals  of  justice  of  Netherland  India  adjudi 
cate  upon  that  fact ;  nothing  else,  no  hostile  speech,  or  action, 
nothing  else  in  the  remotest  way  opposed  to  the  sovereignty  of 
the  Netherland  government,  had  been  alleged  against  me;  then 
why  these  interrogations,  which  I  must  regard  as  unjust,  and  in 
quisitorial  in  the  highest  degree. 

The  Fiskaal  spoke  of  my  sudden  intimacy  with  an  officer  of 
the  government,  the  Havermeester  of  Minto ;  I  had  given  him  a 
miniature ;  and  he  had  supplied  me  with  government  stores ;  and 
otherwise  aided  me  at  the  time  of  my  departure.  It  was  said  that 
I  held  conversations  hostile  to  the  government  of  the  country  with 
a  Chinaman  at  Minto ;  with  one  of  that  turbulent  race  who  had 
given  the  government  so  much  trouble  in  Banca  and  Borneo; 


276  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

and  it  was  alleged  I  had  agreed  to  receive  a  dozen  deserting 
Belgian  soldiers  on  board  my  vessel. 

Then  at  Paleinbang  I  had  after  the  first  days  of  my  stay  kept 
company  with  the  natives;  and  went  off  upon  several  expeditious 
without  consulting  my  guests  at  the  fort,  who  believed  that  I  held 
intercourse  with  their  enemies,  and  although  a  hostile  solution  to 
all  this  strange  conduct,  was  manifest  in  the  letter  to  the  sultan 
of  Jambee ;  yet  still  there  was  much  that  was  mysterious,  that 
affected  the  conduct  of  officers,  and  native  vassals  of  the  govern 
ment;  and  the  justiciary  of  the  country  desired  to  be  informed 
of  the  whole  matter. 

I  then  said;  if  the  justiciary  of  Netherland  India  wished 
to  be  fully  enlightened  about  all  that  had  taken  place  between 
me  and  officers  and  vassals  of  the  government ;  let  those  persons, 
including  the  Residents  of  Palembang  and  Banca;  their  assistants, 
the  Havermeesters  of  both  places;  my  late  Malay  servant;  a 
naval  commander,  and  several  officers  of  the  garrison  of  Palemi- 
bang ;  let  them  be  brought  to  Batavia,  and  confronted  with  me  in 
an  open  court,  and  then  I  would  speak. 

It  would  probably  be  seen  that  I  had  been  furnished  with 
private  police  from  the  household  of  the  two  Residents  to  be  my 
confidential  servants;  that  the  stories  about  deserters,  and  trea 
sonable  conversation,  had  been  manufactured  out  of  innocent 
occurrences,  by  these  spies  imposed  upon  me ;  and  that  throughout 
my  stay  at  Minto  and  Palembang  a  most  disgraceful  spirit  of 
jealousy  had  been  shown,  and  espionage  had  been  practised  towards 
a  stranger,  and  had  thrown  upon  the  hands  of  the  government  a 
very  troublesome  affair,  that  must  necessarily  involve  it  in  un 
pleasant  relations  with  the  government  of  the  oppressed  party. 

The  Fiskaal  asked  me  with  some  surprise,  if  I  was  not 
hazarding  some  remarks  when  I  spoke  of  private  police;  men  in 


A   BETTER    UNDERSTANDING    OF    THE    CASE.  277 

the  employment  of  the  two  Residents  of  Palembang  and  Banca, 
having  been  imposed  upon  me  as  confidential  servants.  I  ex 
pressed  my  convictions  that  such  was  the  case;  spoke  of  the 
motives  for  the  hostility  of  the  assistant  Resident  and  naval  com 
mander  at  Palembang.  The  Fiskaal  said  it  was  a  strange  affair ; 
he  must  see  into  the  root  of  the  matter;  he  had  been  acting  upon 
the  report  of  the  Residents  of  Palembang  and  Banca. 

The  Fiskaal  promised  to  send  me  some  things  that  I  wanted 
from  my  vessel,  and  bade  the  jailer  lead  me  back  to  my  cell. 
As  I  stepped  out  of  the  Chamber  of  Instruction  my  hand  was 
seized  by  little  fingers,  and  Umbah  was  by  my  side ;  she  had  sat 
crouched  behind  the  door,  and  I  had  forgotten  her  during  the 
long  and  pre-occupying  interrogation  and  conversation  that  had 
been  taking  place. 

Poor  little  Umbah  trembled  as  she  walked  beside  me;  and 
began  to  weep  bitterly,  when  we  entered  my  prison  ward,  and  she 
saw  that  her  papa  captain  was  locked  up.  He  was  sober  and  sad 
now,  and  the  little  foundling  did  not  scold  as  she  had  done,  when  he 
was  riotous  and  unrestrained ;  she  put  her  lips  between  the  bars 
of  his  window,  and  wept  over  her  dear  papa  captain,  who  was  so 
good  till  bad  men  gave  him  strong  water;  then  he  forgot  his 
little  Umbah,  and  made  himself  sick,  and  made  her  heart  sad. 

The  Baron  felt  that  there  was  no  lowness  of  spirits  so  painful 
as  the  state  he  imposed  upon  himself  by  attempting  a  cure.  He 
caused  grief  to  his  best  friends;  he  retarded  his  liberation;  he 
forgot  that  he  was  a  gentleman  and  an  officer ;  he  colluded  with  a 
swindler  to  bestialize  himself;  and  then  drank  and  rioted  with 
a  vile  turnkey.  He  would  reform;  he  would  for  the  sake  of 
Unibah,  if  nothing  else.  I  must  help  him ;  and  there  by  the  pri 
son  bars  he  promised  reformation;  he  spoke  to  Umbah  in  an 
altered  tone;  her  little  face  shone  with  hope  and  joy;  and  it 


278  PRISON    OF    WELTEV11EDEN. 

seemed  that  one  might  be  more  useful  and  happy  in  a  prison, 
than  wandering  uselessly  through  the  world  at  our  will. 

The  servant  who  accompanied  Umbah  came;  the  wife  of  the 
old  follower  of  the  Baron,  a  stout  little  Javanese  woman  called 
Tayrah :  she  had  been  reared  in  the  camp,  and  was  a  bold  and  re 
solute  personage.  As  she  talked  with  her  master,  the  turnkey 
bade  her  hasten,  as  he  wanted  to  close  the  gate  :  she  called  him 
some  offensive  name ;  and  then  took  Umbah  by  the  hand ;  who  had 
said  adieu  to  her  papa  captain,  and  uncle  captain,  as  she  called 
me.  As  Tayrah  passed  out,  the  turnkey  took  hold  of  her  rudely 
by  the  arm ;  she  let  go  the  hand  of  Umbah ;  and  instantly  I  saw 
a  little  blade,  gleaming  before  the  face  of  the  brutal  turnkey  who 
slunk  back,  muttered  some  doms  and  blixems.  Umbah  laughed 
and  merrily  kissed  her  hand  to  me,  and  darted  off"  with  her  reso 
lute  protectress,  and  I  retired  to  my  cell  to  muse  over  the  events 

of  my  second  day  in  the  prison  of  Weltevreden. 

**#***#« 

On  the  morning  of  the  third  day  of  the  confinement  of  the 
commander  of  the  Flirt  in  the  prison  of  Weltevreden,  he  re 
ceived  a  visit  from  the  commercial  agent  of  the  United  States  at 
Batavia.  The  agent  had  not  called  upon  the  commander  sooner, 
because  he  had  heard  such  atrocious  stories  of  piracy  charged 
upon  the  commander;  of  sales  of  arms  to  rebel  chiefs;  of  scut 
tling  defenceless  vessels  in  various  parts  of  the  Archipelago ;  and 
such  rumors  of  the  most  daring  buccaneering,  that  he  had  said 
to  the  Resident  of  Batavia,  when  conversing  about  the  Americans 
in  prison,  "  Hang  them,  there  are  too  many  such  filibustering  fana 
tics  in  America;  hang  them  at  once."  Some  further  information 
and  a  visit  to  the  Flirt  had  led  him  to  doubt  the  truth  of  the  ex 
travagant  stories  he  had  heard.  He  resolved  to  call,  and  now  he 
was  astonished  to  see  an  unsailor-like  landsman,  in  the  stead  of 


THE    REPRESENTATIVE    OF    AMERICA    IN    JAVA.  279 

the  rugged  buccaneer  he  had  expected  to  confront.  Tie  knew  some 
thing  of  the  anti- American  feelings  of  the  Resident  of  Banca ;  he 
did  not  doubt  that  most  absurd  jealous  fears  had  been  excited, 
and  that  the  spies  who  had  been  placed  about  the  commander  had 
overdone  their  part.  The  agent  did  not  believe  that  the  present 
governor-general  of  Netherland  India,  would  approve  of  the  ex 
traordinary  display  of  zeal  on  the  part  of  Resident  De  Brauw. 
It  would  be  advisable  to  address  a  plain  statement  of  facts,  a  me 
morial  to  the  governor-general : — the  agent  was  on  the  eve  of  de 
parture  for  America ;  he  would  remain  if  he  thought  his  presence 
could  be  of  any  service  to  his  countryman;  but  as  his  official 
position  was  not  recognized,  he  could  make  no  effective  interference. 
The  agent  took  his  leave  and  was  seen  no  more  in  the  prison. 

THIRTY-FIFTH  DAY. 

SABBATH  ON  BOARD  THE  PALMER. 


THIRTY-SIXTH   DAY. 

A  BETTER  state  of  discipline  was  observed  in  Weltcvreden;  the 
Baron  was  restricted  from  our  little  court  yard  privileges,  the 
passage  of  the  drain  under  the  wall  was  closely  grated  to  check 
for  ever  the  growth  of  any  more  bamboos.  Umbah  came  and 
conned  a  Malay  lesson  in  which  her  teacher  learned  as  he  taught; 
the  daily  rice  and  fish  came  in  the  morning  and  afternoon ;  the 
mad  lady  laughed ;  the  maniac  howled  and  told  the  hour  by  the 
making  and  undoing  of  his  barricades;  and  the  lunatic  lawyer 
paced  the  main  court,  muttering  about  the  lack  of  law  in  India; 
on  the  fourth  day  of  my  stay  in  the  prison  of  Weltevreden. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fifth  day,  the  good-humored  face  of 
Sheriff  Brower,  appeared  at  the  cell  door,  of  him,  whom  he  had 
lately  introduced  to  the  prison.  He  had  an  order  from  the 
Fiskaal,  to  conduct  me  on  board  my  vessel,  so  that  I  might  assist 
at  an  inspection  of  it  and  obtain  such  articles  as  I  needed. 

Another  drive  through  the  city  of  gardens  and  villas;  a 
guarded  boat  was  in  readiness  at  the  steps  of  the  "  boom,"  the 
custom  house;  and  in  half  an  hour  after  leaving,  I  trod  once 
more  the  decks  of  my  gallant  little  craft : — a  sad  sight  for  me  to 
see  upon  her  decks  the  bloated  scowling  Dutch  faces  that  leered 
in  surly  watchfulness ;  but  sadder  sight  awaited  me  below. 

The  beautiful  cabin,  the  work  of  art  and  pride;  and  the  taste 
ful  hall  of  state,  of  a  floating  home  of  beauty,  was  sacked  and 


PLUNDER    OF    THE    FLIRT.  281 

plundered,  and  vilely  befouled;  the  brocatelle  was  rent  from 
curtain  and  cushion ;  the  mirrors  smashed;  gilding  torn  off;  the 
floor  blotched  and  streaked  with  the  drippings  of  coarse  feasting; 
the  air  rank,  with  beer,  tobacco,  gin,  and  grease  defilement ;  and 
heavy  breeched  vandals,  sweltering  in  drunken  riot,  lay  lumpishly 
on  the  transom,  and  glowered  at  the  late  lord  of  this  cabin  home. 

Official  scrutiny  pried  into  recesses  that  had  been  better  probed 
and  searched  by  the  hand  of  private  plunder : — canisters,  boxes  and 
bottles  were  emptied  in  quest  of  powder ;  planks  were  ripped  up 
and  spaces  between  timbers  were  searched  for  shot  and  small 
arms;  ballast  was  pitched  to  and  fro;  sails  were  spread  out; 
sailors'  kits  were  emptied ;  and  my  already  well  ransacked,  culled 
and  picked  baggage,  was  shook  and  handled ;  but  not  a  fragment 
of  war-making  material,  or  of  piracy  was  to  be  found. 

And  the  needful  things  I  sought  also  were  not  to  be  found : — 
boots,  shirts,  hats,  trinkets,  stationery,  and  some  comforting 
cordials,  were  as  scarce  as  powder,  cannon,  blunderbusses,  and 
bullets ;  the  latter  had  only  existed  in  Dutch  minds ;  but  some  of 
the  former  were  to  be  seen  figuring  on  Dutch  forms;  and  the 
cordial  bottles  were  all  like  the  sapless  bamboos  of  the  Baron. 

The  verbal  process  was  drawn  up;  the  good  condition  of  the 
vessel  verified  ; — she  was  afloat ;  her  contents  all  in  order ;  kept  by 
the  proper  guardians  of  the  law ; — kept  never  to  be  returned ;  no 
arms  or  evidence  of  hostile  design,  to  be  found  as  yet ; — might  be 
found  by  and  by,  in  some  hollow  spar,  or  the  shank  of  an  anchor ; 
so  the  verbal  process  was  signed ;  I  got  some  of  the  remnants  of  a 
once  ample  wardrobe,  and  was  led  back  to  my  cabin  ashore. 

The  events  of  the  sixth  day,  were  the  visit  of  a  Dutch  Baron, 
and  an  English  merchant,  agents  for  Prince  Henry  of  Holland, 
the  brother  of  the  present  king :  they  were  his  agents  for  the 
working  of  some  tin  mines,  in  the  little  island  of  Billiton.  The 


282  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

prince  was  bankrupt,  and  he  had  received  from  the  government 
of  his  royal  brother  the  appanage  of  the  island  to  afford  him 
an  opportunity  to  pay  off  his  debts  with  its  plentiful  supply 
of  tin;  as  princes  are  expected  to  pay  up  as  well  as  peasants  in 
Holland.  The  agents  wanted  a  small  vessel  to  carry  rice,  coolies 
and  ore  between  Billfton  and  Batavia.  The  Flirt  was  just  the 
size  they  wanted,  and  it  was  expected  that  the  commander  would 
soon  be  at  liberty;  he  no  doubt  was  tired  of  cruising;  would  he 
not  sell  it  at  a  moderate  price,  as  the  prince  could  not  afford  a 
large  one  ?  I  would  not  then  part  with  my  vessel,  not  for  all  of 
Billiton,  for  all  the  hopes  of  future  solvency  of  the  bankrupt 
prince. 

On'  the  seventh  day  Sheriff  Brower  appeared  again  at  the  pri 
son  of  Weltevreden;  he  had  a  paper  in  his  hand,  and  this  time 
his  good  honest  face  was  shining  with  smiles,  as  he  took  my  hand 
with  some  warmth;  he  had  a  long  document  for  me,  and  what, 
did  it  say?  among  other  things,  that  the  Resident  of  Palem- 
bang  had  seized  and  sent  to  Batavia,  certain  persons  without 
communicating  with  any  officers  of  justice,  but  had  held  corres 
pondence  with  the  governor-general  alone,  who  "  has  the  power  to 
order  the  imprisonment  of  such  persons  as  he  may  think  proper, 
by  a  warrant  signed  by  himself  personally;  yet  notwithstanding 
this,  and  considering  many  other  points  enumerated,  "this  affair 
had  not  been  managed  by  the  ordinary  course  of  law,"  and  tho 
court  of  justice  of  Batavia  ordered  the  enlargement  of  the  com 
mander,  mate,  and  crew  of  the  Flirt. 

Free  and  soon  to  be  afloat  once  more.  The  bitter  past  wan 
all  forgotten.  In  sight  of  freedom,  blessed  freedom,  the  interests 
of  the  prison  ceased  to  charm — no  more  sights  of  the  bastinado, 
i) or  startling  sounds  in  the  night  watches,  of  hoarse  voices  and 
heavy  feet;  and  shrieks,  and  howls  and  laughs,  and  drunken 


REGRETS    ON    LEAVING    PRISON.  283 

revelry  from  cells  within  and  barracks  without;  rice  and  fish 
wooed  the  appetite  in  vain ;  the  close  damp  cell,  the  prison  cell 
of  Weltevreden  had  lost  its  romance,  and  I  turned  my  back  upon 
all  this  with  a  very  complacent  eye. 

But  I  meet  at  the  gate  a  little  form,  little  hands  bearing 
bunches  of  fruit,  and  a  little  mouth  says,  Uncle  captain,  where 
are  you  going  ?  Who  shall  teach  me  my  lesson  now,  who  shall 
help  papa  captain  to  be  good  ?  The  liberated  prisoner  began  to 
regret  his  liberty :  little  lost  flower  of  the  Sumatran  mountains, 
poor  little  foundling  of  Passumah,  he  could  have  staid  in  prison 
for  the  sake  of  this  motherless  child  to  teach  and  to  save ;  but  he 
thought  of  another  one,  far  away,  and  he  went  with  wetted  eyes 
from  out  of  the  prison  of  Weltevreden. 

I  went  to  the  house  of  a  relative  of  the  American  agent, — 
then  acting  in  his  stead.  A  company  were  at  dinner ;  and  among 
others,  I  was  introduced  to  a  fine  looking  man  in  early  prime  of 
life,  who  was  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Court  that  ordered  my  libe 
ration.  He  gave  some  explanations  about  the  regulation  of  the 
judiciary  in  Netherland  India.  He  was  member  of  the  local 
court  of  justice  of  Batavia, — other  Residencies  had  similar 
courts ;  but  this  was  the  chief  one ;  and  many  of  the  remote  posses 
sions  of  the  Government  in  Sumatra,  and  Borneo,  were  subjected 
to  its  jurisdiction  in  all  criminal  matters.  It  was  the  duty  of  the 
Resident  of  Palembang  to  have  communicated  my  case  at  once  to 
the  Fiskaal,  or  prosecuting  officer  of  the  Court  of  Justice  of  Ba 
tavia,  instead  of  which,  he  had  entered  into  correspondence  about 
the  matter  with  the  Executive  alone.  The  Court  had  declared 
my  detention  illegal;  and  he  doubted  not  but  that  the  High 
Court  of  Netherland  India,  a  superior  tribunal  of  nine  judges  ap 
pointed  by  the  crown,  would  not  interfere  with  this  decision ;  and 


284  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

he  had  not  heard  that  the  Attorney  General  had  entered  any 
opposition. 

I  was  an  object  of  very  especial  curiosity  in  the  city  of  Bata- 
via;  I  had  lately  furnished  so  much  material  for  the  gossip  of  the 
place ;  I  was  feasted,  I  visited  the  notable  things  of  the  city ;  the 
parks,  the  palace,  the  opera;  thus  spent  some  rejoicing  hourc, 
whilst  awaiting  the  restoration  of  the  papers  of  my -vessel,  after 
receiving  which  I  would  go  on  board  the  Flirt,  get  some  need 
ful  supplies,  and  quickly  make  sail  direct  for  Singapore. 

But  in  the  midst  of  my  rejoicing,  I  was  called  upon  by  the 
Dutch  baron,  who  had  wished  to  purchase  the  Flirt  on  account 
of  the  Prince  Henry  of  Holland.  This  baron  had  travelled 
much  in  the  United  States,  and  expressed  great  friendliness 
towards  Americans:  he  did  not  like  to  see  me,  he  said,  de 
ceiving  myself  5  my  enlargement  was  only  temporary  on  account 
of  the  informality  of  the  seizure  by  the  Resident  of  Palembang. 
The  Attorney  General  had  sent  a  requisition  to  the  Court  of  Jus 
tice  demanding  an  order  of  re-arrest  against  the  commander  and 
crew  of  the  Flirt ;  the  Court  was  then  deliberating ;  would  cer 
tainly  grant  the  order ;  and  I  might  expect  to  see  the  Sheriff  at 
any  moment,  coming  to  conduct  me  back  to  prison. 

There  were  others  at  the  hotel,  who  joined  the  baron  in  his 
view  of  the  case ;  they  all  recommended  a  speedy  flight.  There 
was  little  hope,  they  said,  for  me:  I  had  two  powerful  enemies; 
the  Residents  of  Palembang,  and  Banca;  they  must  be  supported 
in  their  action  towards  me ;  my  liberation  was  their  condemna 
tion  ;  the  Attorney  General,  a  dyspeptic,  ruthless  old  man,  was 
determined  to  support  De  Brauw,  and  to  have  the  dictator  and 
bearer  of  a  certain  letter  addressed  to  the  sultan  of  Jambec, 
punished  with  death. 


ADVISED    TO    ESCAPE.  285 

If  the  act  of  enlargement  was  final,  and  not  to  be  followed  by 
other  process,  the  commander  would  certainly  have  received  his 
t'hip  papers,  and  other  property  seized  by  the  government.  This 
had  not  been  the  case.  The  Court  of  Justice  had  demanded  the 
.surrender  of  the  Flirt  into  their  hands,  in  order  to  restore  the 
vessel  to  its  owner ;  but  the  demand  was  refused,  and  the  vessel 
\sras  still  held  by  order  of  the  admiral  of  the  port;  acting  in 
{Accordance  with  the  instructions  from  the  high  prosecutor  of  the 
government. 

In  view  of  all  these  facts  a  flight  was  strongly  urged,  flight  on 
board  a  fishing  prahu,  which  would  reach  the  straits  of  Sunda 
(luring  the  night ;  there  the  fugitive  might  await,  within  many 
(•lose  islet  hiding-places,  the  passing  of  some  China  bound  ship. 
I  would  soon  find  the  commodore  commanding  the  squadron 
of  the  United  States  in  the  East  Indies,  and  could  return  with 
him  to  Batavia;  to  demand  the  restoration  of  my  vessel,  and  in 
demnity  for  the  false  imprisonment,  and  losses  I  had  sustained. 

One  of  the  advisers  would  order  a  prahu  to  be  ready  at  a 
certain  point,  another  would  get  some  necessary  provisions  and 
equipment,  and  the  baron  would  take  the  fugitive  in  his  carriage 
to  the  place  of  embarkation.  But  I  had  not  consented  to  this 
flight.  Why  should  I  run  away,  and  by  so  doing,  convict  my 
self  of  the  false  charge  of  attempting  to  incite  insurrection  against 
a  power  friendly  with  my  own  government ;  and  at  the  same  time 
abandon  a  fine  vessel  and  valuable  property  ?  There  seemed  to 
bo  powerful  reasons  not  to  think  of  flight;  and  yet  there  were 
some  weighty  ones,  to  weigh  the  other  way. 

A  return  to  prison  was  imminent ;  and  before  innocence  was 
established,  a  delay  of  many  months  might  elapse,  enough  time  in 
the  foul  atmosphere  of  a  jail  in  a  tropic  climate  to  destroy  the 
constitution  of  one,  whose  health  was  already  affected.  It 


286  PRISON    OP    WELTEVREDEN. 

would  be  easier  to  establish  innocence  with  the  counsel  and  pro 
tection  of  countrymen,  backed  with  power  and  official  authority, 
than  in  the  hands  of  a  despotic  government,  surrounded  by  hostile 
influences,  and  denied  the  aid  of  counsel. 

In  the  midst  of  this  debate,  a  new  adviser  appeared,  a  stout, 
powerful-built  man,  with  a  dark  bronzed  face,  and  a  firm,  bold 
look ;  who  addressed  me  in  the  pleasant  vernacular  of  home ;  and 
in  the  rough,  hearty  dialect  of  the  sea. 

Look  out,  said  the  bluff  sea  captain,  as  he  led  me  aside, 
there  are  more  sharks  about  here  than  afloat  in  the  bay.  I've 
been  a  cruiser  in  these  seas,  among  Dutch  and  Malay,  and 
have  run  into  this  port  off  and  on,  for  the  last  sixteen  years,  and 
it's  an  even  tie  of  treacherous  rascality,  between  the  run-a-mucks, 
and  the  Van  B reeks.  These  fellows  want  you  to  run  away  so  as 
to  get  your  vessel :  the  agents  of  their  beggarly  Prince  Henry 
have  interest  enough  to  get  hold  of  it,  as  soon  as  you  are  gone. 
Yours  is  a  hard  case  I  know,  but  the  scamps  dare  not  hurt  you ; 
they  know  that  Uncle  Sam  has  a  few  big  keels  in  these  seas ;  and 
enough  of  paixhans  to  blow  every  burgher  of  this  Dutch  settle 
ment  into  the  middle  of  next  week.  Stand  'em  out;  and  I'll 
stand  by  you;  and  here's  the  hand  of  Gorham  Bassett  of  tho 
ship  Rambler,  just  from  the  old  Bay  State. 

I  was  indeed  well  disposed  to  stand  by  the  counsel  and  ex 
perience  of  this  frank-spoken  countryman.  We  sat  down  to  din 
ner,  to  talk  of  home  memories,  of  Empire,  Bay,  and  Palmetto 
States.  Another  American  captain  and  his  lady  had  joined  us; 
the  four  talked  of  voyages  and  adventures ;  we  had  met  with  mu 
tual  friends;  we  were  drawn  together  by  a  fast-increasing  interest; 
we  were  wandering  back  o'er  oceans,  amid  happy  scenes  on  the 
banks  of  the  Hudson  and  the  Chesapeake,  when  Sheriff  Browor 
appeared,  and  with  a  sad  face  this  time. 


LOOKING    FOR    A    JAIL.  287 

Another  paper  in  his  hand,  a  warrant  for  the  re-arrest  of  the 
late  lodger  in  Weltevreden,  not  to  return  to  that  prison ;  a  coll  in 
the  Stad  or  City  Jail  awaited  him.  The  kind  heart  of  the  lady 
betrayed  emotion :  the  two  captains  were  indignant,  but  it  was  no 
fault  of  honest  Brower.  If  his  prisoner  wished  to  stay  a  little 
longer  with  his  friends,  and  would  give  his  word  to  be  at  the  pri 
son  before  the  hour  of  nine  that  evening,  the  sheriff  would  leave 
him.  I  gave  my  word,  and  Brower  departed. 

After  dinner,  a  drive,  to  get  some  last  quaffings  of  ocean 
breeze ;  among  the  beautiful  grounds  of  Cramat, — around  Konings- 
plcin,  and  through  the  square  of  Waterloo,  where  the  lion  of  the 
Netherlands  was  seen,  rampant  upon  a  small  column  with  a  green 
bush  growing  out  of  its  head,  nourished  by  the  fecundating,  moist 
air  of  Java,  which  covers  rocks  with  luxuriant  vegetation ;  and 
the  sprouting  antlers  give  the  look  of  a  rampant  goat  to  the  stone 
beast,  that  commemorates  the  victory  of  Waterloo,  gained  by 
William  of  Nassau ! 

Some  glimpses  of  the  bay,  some  parting  looks  at  the  despoiled 
little  craft  that  lay  hampered  beneath  the  guns  of  the  rude  Boreas 
of  Batavia.  A  last  shake  of  the  hands  of  friends  at  the  hotel, 
and  then  Captain  Bassett  went  with  the  prisoner  in  quest  of  his 
new  lodgings. 

We  took  the  wrong  route ;  we  lost  our  way ;  then  we  retraced 
our  steps,  and  a  little  after  the  appointed  time,  we  knocked  at  the 
gate  of  the  City  Prison.  The  sentinel,  a  Javanese  soldier,  bade 
us  go  away ;  the  hour  was  past  for  visiting : — but  it  was  a  prisoner 
who  wished  to  enter ; — the  sentinel  had  nothing  to  do  with  that, 
we  must  go  away ;  the  Captain  was  about  to  knock  again  at  the 
gate,  a  bayonet  was  presented,  and  was  instantly  knocked  out  of 
the  hands  of  the  feeble  native  soldier,  by  the  sturdy  Captain,  who 
thundered  at  the  gate,  and  roared  out  to  wake  the  sleeping  keeper, 


288  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREPEN. 

at  that  pitch  of  voice  wherewith  oftentimes,  he  startled  a  slug 
gish  crew  on  t'gallant  yards  in  a  gale  of  wind. 

The  heavy  gate  rolled  on  its  hinges ;  a  tall,  dark  half-breed  came 
forth  in  night-cap,  with  lamp  in  hand,  and  stood  before  the  Cap 
tain  and  the  prisoner ;  at  the  same  time  a  tramp  of  feet  was  heard 
behind,  soldiers  appeared,  a  file  of  the  guard,  brought  by  the  dis 
comfited  sentinel,  who  had,  fled  on  losing  his  firelock.  The  ser 
geant  of  the  guard  wished  to  know  of  the  alarmed  keeper  what, 
was  the  matter ;  and  the  alarmed  keeper  wished  to  know  of  the 
sergeant  of  the  guard,  what  indeed  was  the  matter. 

The  Captain,  who  with  his  companion  had  not  been  observed, 
stepped  forth  from  the  obscurity  of  the  wall,  and  growled  out  in 
mingled  bad  Dutch  and  Malay :  — Blixem,  you  kladdakers ;  nothing 
at  all  the  matter,  trada  apapa,  except  my  friend  here  has  been 
beating  the  gamelan,  on  the  gateway  of  this  old  hotel,  for  the  last 
hour,  trying  to  get  in ;  he  has  a  room  here ;  open  your  establish 
ment,  and  let  us  see  your  accommodations. 

The  half-breed  muttered  with  inquiring  look,  something  about 
Brower  and  American  captain;  All  right,  letul;  said  Bassett 
here  is  your  man,  and  giving  me  a  shove  forward,  walked  in  with 
me.  The  gate  was  closed  upon  the  staring  and  bewildered  ser 
geant  of  the  guard,  and  the  astonished  jailer  led  the  way  to  show 
the  apartment  of  his  guest,  so  unceremoniously  introduced  at  eo 
late  an  hour. 

The  keeper  opened  several  doors,  and  went  through  passages 
and  passed  sentinels,  and  tenfold  more  gloomy  indications  of 
prison  than  at  Weltevredcn.  The  air  was  foul  and  suffocating, 
within  these  walls;  and  even  the  best  air  in  that  old  pestilential 
quarter  of  the  old  town  of  Batavia  was  bad  enough.  We  cairn; 
to  a  side  door  in  a  dimly  lighted  passage ;  we  entered  a  gallery, 
which  ran  along  by  six  gloomy  cell  doors;  we  stopped  at  tho 


THE    STAD    PRISON.  289 

first  one,  the  jailer  opened,  and  showed  the  lodging  designed  for 
his  new  guest. 

A  narrow  den,  a  foul  sweltering  oven ;  ten  feet  in  length  and 
eight  in  width,  half  filled  by  a  coarse  platform,  its  only  furniture. 
No  light  or  air,  but  from  one  double-barred  grating  in  front. 
The  cell  stank,  the  air  was  dead  and  still;  I  sat  down  with 
sickened  feeling,  on  the  platform ;  the  foulness  and  heat  of  that 
place  was  fearful.  The  Captain  raged  at  this  murdering  Dutch 
villany ;  his  countryman  should  not  be  put  in  there ; — but  the  pri- 
Honer  must  go  in,  and  the  jailer  could  not  now  let  him  out  without  an 
order  from  the  Fiskaal ;  the  Captain  bade  the  keeper  let  him  out 
({uick,  crying  out  to  me  as  he  left,  that  he  would  have  me  out,  or 
be  put  in  there  also  before  twelve  hours  had  passed  away. 

The  door  was  closed,  the  dead  air  felt  deadlier  and  stiller,  one 
quaff  alone  of  the  breezy  air  of  the  morning  was  prayed  for  j  and 
then  water,  not  thought  of  when  the  keeper  was  in  the  cell,  water, 
water,  I  called  for  between  those  bars,  but  the  brutal  sentinel 
paid  no  heed ;  a  little  water,  and  a  little  air,  were  the  craving 
wants  of  a  dreadful  night  passed  in  the  Stad  prison  of  Batavia. 

And  where  was  the  Captain  of  the  Kambler?  He  had  gone, 
driving  furiously  towards  the  house  of  the  Fiskaal.  He  roused 
the  oppas  at  the  door,  and  bade  him  wake  the  sleeping  function 
ary.  The  aifrighted  native  could  not  think  of  such  a  thing,  Tuan 
must  be  mad  ;  Tuan  was  indeed  mad ;  he  roared  at  the  quaking 
copper  skin,  who  glared  with  his  eyes,  who  dropped  his  jaw,  who 
shook  and  groaned,  and  was  being  shaken  by  the  mad  Tuan,  when 
a  candle,  a  night  shirt,  and  the  benevolent  face  of  the  Fiskaal  ap 
peared. 

Had  he  given  the  order  to  confine  the  commander  of  the  Flirt 
in  the  Stadhuis  jail  ?  the  vilest  den  of  the  old  deadly  quarter  of 
the  city,  where  none  but  Chinese.,  and  native  cut- throats  and 
13 


290  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

thieves  were  confined  ?  Was  that  a  fit  place  for  the  detention  of  an 
American  gentleman,  merely  suspected  of  a  crime,  which  it  was 
an  absurdity  to  suppose  he  had  committed  ?  The  Fiskaal  had 
not  given  the  order  for  removal  to  the  Stad  prison ;  he  had  nov, 
nothing  to  do  with  his  disposition  in  prison;  a  judge  commissary 
of  the  Court  of  Justice  of  Batavia,  acting  in  accordance  with 
the  instruction  of  the  Attorney  General  of  Netherland  India,  had 
given  the  order.  The  Fiskaal  had  hoped  that  the  prosecution 
would  be  dropped,  after  the  liberation  of  the  American  captain ; 
he  could  see  no  grounds  for  the  Government  to  proceed  upon ;  and 
should  recommend  to  the  Court  of  Justice,  the  final  enlargement 
of  the  Commander  and  crew  of  the  Flirt. 

But,  meanwhile,  the  prisoner  might  die  of  stench  and  suffoca 
tion.  The  Captain  would  not  lie  in  the  den  he  had  just  left,  dur 
ing  four  and  twenty  hours,  for  all  the  coffee  in  Java.  He  inquired 
the  way  to  the  house  of  the  judge  commissary;  and  after  an 
other  furious  drive,  was  again  rousing  sleeping  guardians,  and  dis 
turbing  the  repose  of  a  slumbering  Dutchman.  A  head  sprin 
kled  with  gray,  and  a  pale  and  sinister  face  came  to  the  door ;  and 
a  thick  Dutch  voice,  speaking  in  bad  English,  wished  to  kno\v, 
what  business  brought  a  man  thundering  at  doors,  kicking 
servants,  and  waking  up  an  affrighted  family  in  such  a  drunken, 
brigand-like  way. 

Softly  there,  Mr.  Judge;  said  the  puffing  and  blowing,  yet 
self-restrained  Bassett.  I  am  sorry  to  make  you  turn  out  of 
your  nice,  wide  berth,  with  plenty  of  fresh  air;  I  regret  the 
kicks  given  to  the  boy  at  the  door  which  ought  to  have  been  given 
elsewhere;  and  I  did  not  mean  to  scare  you  or  your  family,  but  I 
do  talk  loud,  when  I  get  excited,  and  I  am  a  little  so  now.  You 
have  locked  up  a  friend  of  mine,  in  a  hole  not  fit  for  a  beast;  I 


BELEAGUERED    JUSTICE.  291 

want  him  out,  this  very  night,  and  put  where  he  can  have  a 
chance  for  his  life. 

And  was  this  the  errand  of  a  man,  who  dared  to  break  the 
rest  of  a  judge ;  to  ask  him  to  disturb  himself  about  the  comforts 
of  a  pirate,  lodged  but  too  well  already?  That's  just  my  errand, 
said  Bassett,  and  pirate  or  no  pirate,  I  want  an  order  to  have  that 
man  removed  to  better  quarters,  or  I  don't  leave  you,  Mr.  Judge. 
I'm  a  fixture,  and  I  give  you  the  word  of  Gorham  Bassett  for 
that. 

The  judge,  as  he  stood  in  his  night  garments,  stared  hard  at 
the  broad,  heavy-built  American ;  he  looked  with  an  appreciating 
eye,  at  two  ponderous  fists,  and  massive  arms,  thick  with  muscle 
springing  out  of  the  chest  of  a  war  horse ;  perhaps  he  counted 
over  his  coolies,  the  oppas,  and  his  own  force  to  put  the  ugly-look 
ing  fixture  out  of  doors,  but  he  evidently  did  not  think  his  com 
bined  forces  equal  to  the  task,  and  spoke  in  a  milder  tone  to  the 
disturber  of  his  rest. 

What  he  had  done,  was  in  accordance  with  a  requisition 
emanating  from  the  high  prosecuting  office  of  the  Government. 
He  would  consult  with  him,  the  next  day.  But  that  would  not 
satisfy  the  Captain  of  the  Rambler ;  he  wanted  an  order  then,  he 
knew  that  the  judge  had  the  power  to  give  it.  The  judge  remon 
strated;  it  was  absurd,  at  such  an  hour,  the  sheriff  would  not 
turn  out,  the  keeper  of  the  jail  would  not  open  a  door  : — the  Cap 
tain  wanted  the  order,  he  would  look  after  the  sheriff,  and  see  to 
the  opening  of  the  prison. 

The  judge  became  indignant,  to  be  dictated  to  in  such  a  man 
ner,  on  such  a  matter,  in  his  own  house,  at  that  time  of  night :  he 
would  send  for  a  file  of  men,  of  the  city  guard,  and  have  the  in 
truder  lodged  in  jail  himself.  All  ready  for  the  guard,  or  the  jail 
either,  were  words  uttered  doggedly  in  reply.  Gorham  Bassett 


202  PRISON    OP    WELTEVREDEN. 

had  sworn  to  have  that  man  out  of  the  infernal  black  hole  into 
which  he  had  been  stuck;  or  go  in  himself.     The  judge,  and  the 
Government  should  have  two  American  cases  on  hand ;  and  then . 
look  out  for  young  America  when  he  heard  of  all  this,  on  board 
the  Susquehanna. 

The  judge  bit  his  lips;  he  muttered  something  about  American 
audacity ;  he  walked  nervously  to  and  fro ;  he  stood  before  the 
Captain,  and  confronted  a  fixed  unblenching  face ;  there  was  not  a 
shadow  of  back  out,  of  compromise,  or  put  off,  in  those  dark, 
bronzed  features.  It  was  a  hard  case  for  judicial  pride,  and 
Dutch  obstinacy,  to  give  up  to  this  dogged  sea  captain,  but  some 
American  commodore  might  present  a  harder  one,  and  something 
must  be  done. 

Some  rays  of  dawning  day  began  to  stream  across  a  starry 
Javan  sky,  when  the  scowling  judge,  handed  to  the  resolute 
Captain  a  document  of  writing,  with  which  he  issued  forth  from 
the  dwelling  of  beleagured  justice,  and  once  more  roused  the 
still  streets  of  Batavia; — horses'  hoofs  resounding,  and  carriage 
wheels  rattling  and  rumbling,  on  the  way  to  the  house  of  the 
sheriff  of  Batavia. 

The  prisoner  had  groaned  on  his  platform  all  night,  or  sought 
at  times,  to  get  some  quaffs  of  air  through  his  grating;  but  it 
came  foul  and  rank,  from  a  close  yard,  devoted  to  vilest  use. 
The  odor  within  was  a  deadlike  smell,  rising  up  from  his  coarso 
couch,  like  the  rank  fetor  of  the  decaying  matter  of  a  slaughter 
house;  and  after  a  night  of  suffocating  misery,  as  some  few  rays 
of  morning  began  to  stream  through  the  grating,  in  the  cell  door, 
the  prisoner  began  to  discern  on  his  platform,  some  dark  streaks 
of  putrefying  blood. 

The  honest  face  of  Brower  once  more  appeared,  and  brave 


THE    BLOODY    CELL.  293 

Bassett  was  shaking  the  exhausted  and  haggard  prisoner  by  the 
hand.  The  sheriff  was  indignant  at  the  sight  of  the  cell.  He 
was  not  aware  that  such  quarters  had  been  designed  for  his  pris 
oner,  or  he  would  have  protested  himself.  He  spoke  of  the  good 
heart  of  the  Fiskaal,  who  wished  to  liberate  the  American  Cap 
tain  altogether,  but  this  judge  commissary,  who  now  had  charge 
of  the  "instruction,"  or  preliminary  investigation  of  the  case, 
was  an  avowed  friend  of  Resident  De  Brauw. 

The  sheriff  explained  the  cause  of  the  blood  on  the  platform. 
A  young  man,  about  twenty  years  of  age,  had  been  suspected  of 
crime ;  he  was  lodged  in  this  cell,  whilst  awaiting  a  trial.  His 
case  was  overlooked;  eight  months  passed  away.  The  prisoner 
loved  a  young  lady,  with  strong  attachment ;  he  hoped  soon  to  be 
with  her  again;  and  this  hope  sustained  his  spirits;  but  time 
rolled  on,  many  months  had  passed  away ;  his  case  seemed  hope 
less,  and  the  father  of  the  girl,  wished  her  to  marry  some  one 
else.  The  lover  heard  of  this,  he  clamored  for  a  trial ;  he  became 
delirious ;  attention  was  called  to  his  case ;  it  was  discovered  that 
there  were  no  grounds  for  prosecution ;  an  order  for  his  liberation 
was  handed  to  Sheriff  Brower,  who  came,  and  found  a  dead  body 
on  this  platform.  The  young  man  had  attempted  to  cut  his  throat 
with  a  piece  of  glass;  but  shrinking  from  that  task,  he  had 
strangled  himself  with  his  handkerchief.  It  was  his  blood  upon 
my  sleeping  place,  which  the  neglectful  jailer  had  not  yet  cleansed 
away. 

Harsh  and  unmusical  they  would  have  been  to  Dutch  ears, 
the  words  that  rolled  out  with  hissing  sound  between  the  gritting 
teeth  of  Captain  Bassett.  Short  work  with  the  Stad  prison,  and 
the  city  of  Batavia,  if  the  Captain  had  been  commodore,  and  lay 
off  in  the  harbor,  with  a  steam  frigate,  and  a  few  sixty-four 
pounders ;  there  would  have  been  no  more  blunderings  of  a  gov- 


294  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

eminent  of  suspicious  and  sordid  men ;  there  would  have  been  no 
complicated  "case  of  the  Flirt,"  nor  "  Prison  of  Weltevreden." 


RETURN    TO    WELTEVREDEN. 

But  back  to  the  prison  of  Weltevreden,  Sheriff  Brower  leads 
his  prisoner,  back  to  the  barracks,  to  the  country  retreat  of  Adju 
tant  Pieters.  The  red-faced  jailer  was  happy  to  welcome  his  late 
lodger  back  again.  The  little  cell  in  the  little  court  was  vacant 
still.  It  was  wet  and  close,  and  the  air  passed  through  it  with 
sluggish  sultriness;  but  there  was  some  air,  without  privy  or 
charnel  smell;  and  there  was  company,  the  Baron,  the  trader,  the 
schoolmaster,  and  little  Urnbah. 

Honest-hearted  Baron,  he  stood  in  the  gateway  to  welcome 
his  cell  neighbor :  he  too  had  been  in  closer  durance,  suffering 
dreadully  for  the  want  of  a  bamboo;  and  Umbah  had  been 
gone,  she  could  not  enter  prison  whilst  his  cell  had  been  closed : 
the  mad  lawyer  passed  by,  was  glad  to  see  the  American  captain 
back  again;  and  though  still  affirming  there  was  no  law  in  India; 
yet  there  was  a  pleasant  welcome  back  to  the  prison  of  Weltevre 
den. 

One  night  of  horrors  had  made  a  dreary  house  of  care  look 
bright;  it  was  not  a  change  from  a  beautiful  little  ship,  and  a 
happy,  free  sea  life,  to  that  of  loss  of  property,  and  the  restraint 
of  confining  walls.  That  feeling  was  past.  It  was  now  joy  to 
change  from  a  cell  of  death,  rank  with  decaying  drippings  of  self- 
slaughter,  to  one  where  the  air  came  freely;  and  human  compan 
ionship  was  near  at  hand. 

But  the  night  of  horrors  had  done  some  hurtful  work,  on  the 
health  of  the  returned  prisoner.  When  the  sheriff  and  jailer,  and 


A  CHANGE  FOll  THE  BETTER.  295 

his  brave  defender  had  left,  he  sank  down  on  his  platform,  and 
passed  a  feverish  day  and  night.  The  kind-hearted  Baron  sat  up 
with  ministering  hands.  The  invalid  found  repose  as  day  began 
to  dawn,  and  when  he  awoke  bright  rays  of  light  were  streaming 
like  golden  shafts  through  his  grating ;  and  little  bright  eyes  were 
shining  on  him,  from  the  golden  face  of  Umbah. 

She  had  mangosteens  in  her  hand;  mangosteens  for  her  uncle 
Captain.  Purple  rinds  were  burst,  rich  pulp  was  quaffed;  and 
the  sick  uncle  Captain  was  refreshed  and  revived,  like  the  papa 
Captain,  who  when  feverish  and  faint,  had  seen  little  bright  eyes  and 
restoring  fruit  at  the  same  time.  Umbah's  cure  would  have 
sufficed,  but  the  generous  Bassett  had  sent  cordials,  and  tasteful 
provisions,  for  the  entry  of  which  another  order  had  been  ob 
tained. 

The  invalid  was  soon  restored  by  a  ministering  little  presence, 
and  the  fruity  medicine.  The  lessons  in  Malay,  of  reading  and 
writing,  were  begun  again.  The  half-breed  schoolmaster  helped 
both  to  trace  the  straight  alif,  the  many  curved  sim,  the  looped 
lam,  the  cup-like  nun;  and  all  the  intricate  sinuosities  of  the 
Arab  script.  The  student  and  traveller  traced  them  not  more 
quickly  than  the  foundling  Malay  child. 

He  had  a  love  to  learn  of  all  that  belonged  to  the  East;  which 
no  alarms  could  disturb;  no  weight  of  woe  could  destroy.  In 
struments  of  oppression  were  sought  for  knowledge ;  sentinels  and 
marines,  when  they  would  talk,  were  made  to  tell  of  their  country, 
of  the  fleet  or  the  fort,  to  which  they  belonged ;  and  no  place  had 
been  so  wretched,  but  he  had  thought  as  much  about  its  history 
as  its  horrors. 

In  Weltevreden,  there  was  nothing  that  a  free  man  should 
wish  for ;  unless  one  should  be  found,  that  would  covet  a  close 
cell,  with  a  wet,  paved  floor,  the  fare  of  eastern  slaves,  the  com- 


296  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

panionship  of  mongrel  felons ;  and  howls  of  torture  and  madness 
resounding  daily  in  the  ears.  All  this,  and  other  striking  fea 
tures  of  a  prison  life,  may  be  curious  and  interesting  to  tell ;  but 
soul  and  body  sickening  to  him  who  felt  them. 

There  was  one,  however,  in  Weltevreden,  who  felt  them  not  too 
much,  to  stop  his  love  of  study,  instead  of  seeking  refuge  in 
stimulant  or  unavailing  complaint ;  and  by  so  doing,  he  preserved 
his  health  and  the  even  temper  of  his  mind.  He  was  not  unmind 
ful  of  liberty,  he  deplored  the  loss  of  a  beautiful  ship,  the  inter 
ruption  of  a  delightful  cruise ;  and  more  than  all,  he  bitterly  de 
plored  the  loss  of  a  choice  gathering  of  notes  for  history,  poetry, 
science;  and  the  art  and  romance  of  a  curious  people;  a  rare  lot 
of  Malay  manuscript  fallen  into  the  hands  of  his  captors. 

All  his  choice  papers;  many  manuscripts  given  by  Panyorang 
Osman,  some  by  Panyorang  Scheriff  Ali,  by  Demang  Sapediu, 
by  the  Panghulu  of  Palembang  and  others;  as  he  had  parted  with 
all  that  he  could  spare  from  his  vessel  for  evey  scrap  of  know 
ledge  about  Sumatra.  All  this  was  left  in  his  cabin;  perhaps 
destroyed  by  the  plundering  keepers;  or  in  the  hands  of  his 
judges  never  to  be  returned. 

Thus  he  thought,  and  often  so  painfully  after  his  capture; 
and  he  sought  with  the  material  around  him  in  prison,  to  make  up 
some  little  of  the  loss.  There  were  other  masses  of  papers,  the 
gathering  of  past  years,  mere  personal  memoranda,  in  the  hands 
of  his  jailers  :  he  could  part  with  them  without  pain;  but  his  Su- 
matran  collection, — loss  more  felt,  almost  than  loss  of  liberty; 
but  it  was  a  loss  sooner  restored.  Strange  experience  had  that 
man  then  and  afterwards  in  the  recovery  of  lost  papers,  from  out 
of  the  hands  of  his  Dutch  captors. 

How  his  Sumatran  notes  were  found,  he  thus  told  on  board 
the  Palmer  on  the  thirty-seventh  day  of  her  homeward  voyage 
from  Java. 


THIRTY-SEVENTH  DAY. 

I  HAD  lain  in  prison  two  weeks,  and  had  not  heard  a  word 
about  my  men.  My  late  navigator  had  been  brought  to  "VVelte- 
vredcn,  and  placed  in  the  block  No.  3  of  the  prison,  in  company 
with  the  Resident,  the  Topographer,  and  the  Russian  secretary. 
I  heard  news  of  preparation  for  the  reception  of  my  sailors,  and 
on  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  I  heard  the  unsubdued  voice 
of  sturdy  Jim,  raised  in  song,  mingled  with  the  cursings  of  Dutch 
soldiers,  the  clatter  of  bayonets;  as  the  prisoners  and  escort 
entered  the  main  court  of  the  prison. 

I  looked  out  through  the  bars,  at  my  men,  as  they  stood  in 
the  court,  waiting  for  the  opening  of  doors :  some  joyous  greetings 
were  exchanged  with  rough  glad  faces,  even  with  the  deserting 
Brazilians ;  past  weakness  and  neglect  of  duty  forgotten ;  and  the 
difference  between  the  cabin  and  the  forecastle  being  overlooked 
in  a  common  lot.  One  more  forward  than  the  rest,  the  poor,  half- 
savage,  faithful  Pirez,  ran  up  to  the  grating  and  after  some 
quick  words  of  salutation,  asked  if  I  had  found  any  thing  in  my 
pillow.  Before  I  had  time  to  speak,  a  soldier  of  the  guard  pulled 
the  faithful  fellow  away,  and  with  a  brutal  kick,  urged  him  on 
towards  his  quarters  in  the  prison. 

I  must  now  speak  of  Pirez  more  fully ;  as  he  acts  an  inter 
esting  part,  in  my  after  experience  in  prison.  I  found  him  at 
13* 


298  PRISON   OF    WELTEV11EDEN. 

Pernambuco,  where  he  sculled  a  little  boat,  and  oftentimes,  he 
alone,  had  glided  me  along  through  the  channels  between  Recife, 
Boa  Vista,  and  Olinda.  I  had  been  struck  with  the  strange 
ugliness  of  the  boy;  and  stranger  jargon  of  his  speech;  said  to 
be  known  to  no  one  but  his  African  mother. 

His  thick  lips,  and  wide  mouth — a  very  wide  one,  stretched  out 
far  beyond  forehead  and  chin ;  little  yellow  eyes  seemed  straining 
to  start  out  of  a  dirty  yellow  skin ;  blotched  and  mottled  like 
the  back  of  a  toad.  The  narrow,  pointed,  pear-shaped  head,  was 
dotted  with  scattering  stunted  tufts  of  coarsest  and  kinkiest  of 
wool;  the  body,  short,  fat,  and  shapeless,  the  legs  bowing  out, 
heels  large,  and  great  teeth  ever  grinning.  Such  was  the  Peri, 
as  called  by  the  crew  of  the  Flirt. 

Speech  was  more  brutal  than  form;  a  thick,  ruttling  voice 
that  came  forth  with  grunting  jerks;  a  wild  jargon  of  Portugese 
and  some  African  dialect.  People  sought  to  speak  with  him  in 
vain;  they  made  signs  in  bargaining  for  his  boat;  but  oftener  the 
hideous  and  unintelligible  boatman  was  passed  by,  whilst  I  became 
a  frequent  patron,  and  tested  largely  those  powers  of  pantomime, 
that  became  famous  in  Sumatra. 

One  day,  I  wanted  him  and  his  boat;  and  I  saw  him  pushing 
off  from  the  landing,  with  a  passenger,  an  old  black  woman,  his 
mother,  and  she  was  about  to  give  place  to  me ;  but  learning  that 
her  destination  was  near  the  same  point  as  mine,  I  insisted  that  he 
should  take  us  both.  The  woman,  a  pleasant-looking  old  African, 
with  some  likeness,  but  none  of  the  hideousness  of  her  son,  spoke 
some  Portuguese  and  Spanish  which  I  could  understand. 

She  talked  of  her  rude  son;  as  true  and  honest,  as  he  was 
rough  and  ugly.  His  father,  a  Cape  de  Verde  Portuguese,  was 
one  of  the  bravest  men  she  had  known  or  seen.  He  was  a  sailor, 
and  had  saved  her  life  on  board  a  slaver,  when  she  was  dead  sick, 


THE    BOATMAN    OF    PP^RNAMBUCO.  299 

and  about  to  be  thrown  overboard  as  worthless  cargo.  She 
wanted  to  do  nothing  else,  but  give  him  all  her  life  after  that. 
He  took  her  to  Brazil ;  where  he  left  her  from  time  to  time,  on 
many  a  long  cruise,  whilst  she  worked  for  him  and  their  children 
ashore. 

He  went  to  Mozambique,  to  Goa,  Malacca,  Macao ;  and  then 
had  sailed  many  a  time  with  an  adventurous  captain,  between 
Arabia  and  Sumatra ;  and  who  was  he  ?  who  but  the  uncle,  the 
mysterious  wanderer,  and  story-teller  of  the  East.  The  father  of 
Pirez  had  sailed  with  him  many  years,  and  was  lost  or  killed, 
she  knew  not  how,  in  his  service. 

This  was  fresh  cause  for  interest  in  Pirez.  I  always  sought 
his  boat,  he  lingered  daily,  more  and  more  about  my  vessel ;  and 
when  ready  to  sail,  he  wanted  to  go  with  me;  and  his 
mother  being  quite  willing,  I  took  him,  more  as  a  servant  than  a 
sailor ;  and  though  he  liked  the  ropes,  and  to  run  out  on  the  yards, 
with  the  best  and  boldest  on  board ;  yet  his  chief  duty  was  in  my 
cabin;  and  he  enjoyed  a  confidence  which  Bahdoo  had  not 
superseded. 

I  learned  to  understand  all  the  words,  or  articulated  grunts, 
and  signs  of  this  wild  creature.  No  one  else  had  learned  to  talk 
with  him  on  board.  I  took  a  fancy  to  teach  him  to  read  and 
write,  during  idle  hours  at  sea,  for  which  he  had  much  aptitude. 
He  had  the  daily  handling  of  my  literary  labors,  in  putting  away 
papers,  left  loosely  on  my  table,  and  he  learned  to  know  the  place 
for  note,  memoranda,  or  letter,  by  being  able  to  read  their  con 
tents. 

And  now  you  will  be  prepared  to  listen  to  what  I  have  to  tell 
you  about  my  pillow.  As  soon  as  Pirez  had  spoken  in  his  wild 
way,  at  the  grating,  I  stepped  into  my  cell,  I  took  up  my  pillow, 
and  with  trembling  hands  I  undid  the  cord,  as  the  oppas  had  done 


300  PRISON    OP    WELTEVREDEN. 

a  few  days  before ;  but  thrust  my  hand  down  deeper,  pulled  out 
the  stuffing,  and  felt  something  hard ;  you  can  guess  what  it  was, 
better  than  I  could  then.  In  a  compact  roll,  well  packed  round 
with  moss  stuffing  of  the  cushions  of  my  cabin,  were  my  much 
prized  papers. 

Before  my  arrest  at  Palembang,  I  had  never  supposed 
that  the  authorities  would  venture  upon  so  high-handed  a  mea 
sure,  and  had  had  no  thought  of  trying  to  make  any  disposition 
of  personal  valuables  or  private  papers;  which  lay  loosely  in 
lockers,  and  on  my  table,  when  the  invading  marines  poured  in 
upon  my  deck ;  and  when  I  gave  the  order  to  Pirez  to  pack  up 
the  few  things  I  was  allowed  to  take,  I  had  no  idea  of  a  chance 
to  save  any  thing  of  valuables  or  papers. 

I  did  long  to  say  a  word  to  the  boy,  to  give  him  one  look,  as 
he  went  below ;  but  he  did  not  need  it ;  whilst  I  complained  of 
his  delay,  he  had  quickly  seized  papers,  he  believed  to  be  the 
most  especial,  the  most  important  to  conceal  from  my  captors ; 
those  that  told  about  Dutch  and  Malays,  also  some  interesting 
Mexican  reliques ;  he  packed  the  pillow  case,  and  trusting  to  good 
fortune,  flung  it  carelessly  up  through  the  skylight  on  deck. 

The  same  faithful  hands  had  driven  the  tacks  into  the  ensign, 
that  was  afterwards  torn  from  its  staff  by  the  hands  of  a  drunken 
Dutch  naval  commander ;  and  that  flag  was  not  lost ; — hardly  less 
strange  was  its  preservation  and  reappearance,  than  the  recovery 
of  the  lost  papers;  but  I  shall  tell  of  that  farther  on  in  my 
story. 

After  rejoicing  over  the  recovery  of  my  papers,  I  rejoiced 
over  my  escape,  when  the  Fiskaal  came  to  examine  my  cell ;  an 
escape  from  the  stain  of  dishonor  in  the  eyes  of  that  functionary, 
for  had  the  hands  of  the  oppas  gone  a  little  deeper,  at  the  moment 
I  gave  my  word  I  had  no  papers  in  my  cell,  I  should  have  made 


FAITHFUL    HANDS.  301 

an  enemy  where  I  afterwards  found  a  just  and  kind  man,  an  able 
and  intelligent  friend. 

But  that  visit  reminded  me  that  I  might  receive  many  more, 
from  less  gentlemanly  inquisitors ;  and  I  made  speedy  disposition 
of  my  papers ;  in  small  packages  that  were  delivered  to  Captain 
Bassett,  and  other  American  captains,  who  came  to  see  me ;  and 
of  all  the  scraps  I  accumulated,  and  memoranda  I  made  during 
my  long  stay  in  prison,  I  sent  from  time  to  time  by  various  hands, 
I  know  not  to  this  day,  if  one  package  ever  safely  reached  home  in 
America. 

The  prisoner  knew  not,  when  he  spoke  with  his  friends  on 
board  the  Palmer ;  but  he  could  have  told  them  afterwards,  that 
of  all  that  the  faithful  Pirez  saved,  and  all  of  a  collection  of 
rare  notes,  gathered  in  prison,  all  fell  into  faithful  hands,  those 
of  Bassett,  Bursley  of  the  Izaak  Walton,  Smith  of  the  Raja 
"Walie,  and  the  worthy  Shaw  of  Singapore ;  some  wandering  round 
by  China,  some  by  California,  and  some  by  Australia;  yet  all 
brought  safely  to  hand,  the  untouched  trust  of  the  prisoner  of 
Weltevreden. 

The  brave  Bassett  went  with  the  coming  of  the  faithful  Pirez. 
Daily  had  the  kind,  bold-hearted  captain,  invaded  the  prison  with 
pockets  stuffed,  and  hands  filled  with  good  things  for  me,  and  for 
little  Umbah,  and  the  Baron,  who  had  become  sharers  of  his  kind 
ly  regards.  He  had  sympathized  with  the  tastes  of  the  latter,  and 
one  day  came  with  a  little  bamboo  in  his  pocket. 

The  guard  wished  to  fumble  pockets,  and  feel  coat  laps,  as  he 
did  with  all  incomers ;  but  away  flew  bayonet,  and  soldier  fled,  as 
at  the  gateway  of  the  Stad.  The  jailer  ran  to  the  Resident  of  the 
city,  and  to  judges  to  complain ;  and  the  colonel  at  the  barracks, 


302  PRISON    OP    WELTEVREDEN. 

demanded  an  order  for  the  arrest  of  this  knocker  down  of  sol 
diers,  this  bullier  of  judges,  this  prison  invader,  this  great  filibus 
tering  Bassett. 

The  judiciary  and  magistracy  of  Batavia,  knew  too  well  this 
man ;  they  did  not  want  to  have  him  on  their  hands ;  worse  than 
a  score  of  such  "  pirates,"  as  they  had  already  caged.  Give  him  a 
wide  berth,  no  order  for  the  colonel ;  and  jailer  is  desired  to  with 
hold  liis  complaint.  Give  the  captain  a  free  run,  and  only  watch, 
and  have  guard  enough  not  to  let  him  carry  the  prisoner  out. 

Brave  Bassett  came  to  go  away ;  the  Rambler  has  her  hold 
filled  with  the  berry  of  Java  (fragrant  promoter  of  sick  liver 
and  sick  headaches) ;  and  he  came  for  the  last  time,  to  visit  his 
friends  in  prison.  He  could  go  away  with  comfort  now ;  he  had 
seen  me  through  the  worst;  now  more  comfortably  lodged,  having 
promise  of  a  speedy  trial ;  feeling  safe  in  a  happy  issue  from  the 
kindly  disposition  of  the  Fiskaal,  and  from  the  avowed  opinions 
of  judges  of  the  Court  of  Justice. 

Bassett  took  a  message  to  deliver  to  the  commodore,  com 
manding  the  American  squadron  in  the  East  India  seas ;  he  pro 
mised  to  rouse  up  American  functionaries,  wherever  found,  in 
behalf  of  the  commander  and  crew  of  the  Flirt.  But  we  looked 
long,  in  vain,  for  the  coming  of  the  commodore,  who  never  came ; 
though  we  doubted  not  the  brave  Bassett  was  true  to  the  promise 
he  gave,  when  he  bid  adieu,  in  the  prison  of  Weltevreden. 

He  kept  it;  said  the  Boatswain  on  board  the  Palmer; 
we  heard  of  the  Flirt  and  her  folks,  being  all  foul  among  the 
Dutchies  at  Batavia,  when  I  was  with  the  fleet  at  Hong  Kong. 
The  people  on  board  the  Susquehanna,  from  first  luff  down  to 
captain  of  chain  gang,  were  charged  to  the  muzzle  with  fight ;  they 
wanted  to  go  right  off,  and  have  a  brush  with  Dutchy's  tubs,  if  he 


OPINION   OF   BOATSWAIN    OF    HIS    GOVERNMENT.  303 

didn't  let  go  the  Flirt  and  pay  up  handsome  for  his  frolic.  But 
the  old  man  didn't  pass  the  word  to  get  up  anchor ;  the  Susque- 
hanna  lay  quietly  grinning  at  Hong  Kong  rocks,  and  Chinaman 
Joshes ;  day  after  day,  week  after  week  she  lay ;  by  and  by,  we 
heard  more  stories  about  Flirt  and  yourself;  hardest  sort  of  a  case  ; 
but  old  Susquehanna,  didn't  move,  and  the  old  man  walking  the 
decks,  surly  as  sick  thunder.  One  of  the  ward-room  mess, 
said  that  the  commodore  wanted  to  give  the  Dutch  lubbers  a 
broadside  of  fits ;  but  he  couldn't  move ;  he'd  got  a  small  scrap 
of  paper,  and  six  lines,  from  the  Department  fogy  at  home,  that 
said,  don't  move  out  of  sight  of  Hong  Kong  till  farther  orders ; 
and  all  on  account  of  some  fuss  with  a  beggarly  Brazilian  plenipo, 
and  one  of  our  people  going  minister  to  Rio,  who  charged  the  old 
man,  with  having  charged  the  Brazilian  for  his  board,  when  on 
board  the  Susquehanna,  going  to  Brazil.  There,  Uncle  Sam's  big 
ship  was  stuck ;  or  steaming  back  and  forth  to  Macao,  burning 
coal  at  forty  dollars  a  ton;  and  Uncle  Sam's  people,  and  flag,  and 
honor,  and  interests,  were  getting  jugged,  trod  on,  befouled,  and 
swamped ;  but  the  big  ship  couldn't  budge,  waiting  for  another 
order  from  another  fogy,  which  she  did  for  a  year  and  more. 

By  gracious  king !  said  the  Boatswain,  warming  up,  our 
people  has  got  grit  enough,  real  Kennebec  grit ;  we  have  lots  of 
Bassetts  afloat,  enough  for  a  thousand  commodores,  that  would 
make  every  beggarly  nation,  in  the  world,  think  a  thou 
sand  times,  before  they  dared  to  lay  a  crooked  finger  upon  an 
American  citizen  or  an  American  flag ;  but  we  have  an  everlasting 
lot  of  sharks  at  Washington,  all  the  time,  and  of  all  stripes; 
whether  whig  or  t'other,  'tis  all  the  same,  a  scramble  for  votes  and 
plunder.  What  do  they  care  about  honor  abroad  ?  they  are  only 
thinking  of  keeping  on  the  soft  side  of  the  pork-raisers,  nigger- 
drivers,  and  timber-choppers  who  put  them  where  they  are.  You 


304  PRISON    OF   WELTEVREDEN. 

go  borne,  and  ask  them  to  back  you  up  in  asking  damages  of  tbe 
Dutch ;  and  they'll  wait  to  see  whether  tbe  pork-raisers,  nigger- 
drivers,  and  timber-choppers,  care  any  thing  about  it  first;  if  so, 
and  you  can  get  up  a  breeze  among  the  people,  all  well ;  and  you'll 
sail  in.  But  just  get  foul  of  the  sharks  at  Washington;  and 
their  bloodsucking,  piratical  papers,  will  give  you  worse  fits  than 
you  ever  got  from  the  Dutch.  I  would  rather  go  abroad,  any 
time,  with  a  British  passport,  than  one  from  my  own  government ; 
and  I  am  not  the  first  one  that  has  said  it. 


THIRTY-EIGHTH   DAY. 

MANY  days  were  passed  away,  looking  for  help  that  never 
came.  Many  times  had  I  been  summoned  to  the  Chamber  of 
Instruction,  to  appear  before  the  harsh  judge,  made  harsher  by 
the  rough  handling  of  the  hero  of  the  Rambler.  The  hopes  of 
quick  trial,  and  of  leave  to  go  in  peace,  were  daily  made  less,  by 
this  commissary  judge,  working  like  a  lawyer  of  small  scope  with 
the  quirks  of  the  law,  to  give  some  form  and  proportion  to  a  base 
less  case. 

The  prisoner  was  led  forth  at  all  hours ;  at  early  dawn,  at 
noon,  at  night,  often  in  the  midst  of  a  meal,  or  repose,  the  rusty 
bolts  rolled  and  grated ;  and  the  livid  snake  face  of  the  lock  up 
dragoon,  called  the  hungry  or  unrested  man  to  come  to  the  little 
black  hall,  to  meet  the  frowning  commissary,  who,  with  quick 
questions  about  matters  spoken  of  a  week,  two  weeks  before, 
sought  to  entrap  a  weary  and  unaided  man,  having  no  counsel  but 
in  his  own  head,  and  no  strength  but  in  his  own  heart. 

And-  through  what  winding  ways,  this  judge  of  the  Chamber, 
the  Star  tribunal  of  Netherland  India  law, — through  what  winding 
ways,  with  hints,  and  threats,  and  made-up  tales,  he  strove  to 
worm  out  some  words  of  weakness  that  might  be  dressed  up  into 
a  phantom  of  crime.  Such  tales  of  what  some  servant,  sailor,  or 
other  one  had  said;  such  cajolery  about  the  clemency  of  Dutch 
rule  in  the  East ;  and  such  warnings  of  its  power,  and  threats  of 


306  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

its  vengeance ;  and  such  insulting  demands  to  confess,  he  knew 
not  what. 

Let  them  be  brought  before  me,  said  the  prisoner ;  the  men, 
who  speak  of  evil  words  and  deeds,  that  they  have  heard  and 
seen.  Let  them  come ;  governors  and  soldiers,  servants  and 
sailors,  and  tell  their  tale  before  the  face  of  him  they  speak 
against.  But  this  would  be  too  great  expense,  trouble  and  de 
rangement  for  the  government  to  do.  Then  the  prisoner  would 
be  silent;  if  justice  rules,  they  will  be  brought,  and  he  will  speak; 
but  if  power  rules  undei*  a  form  of  law,  then  further  words  are 
vain. 

The  judge  threatened ;  and  spoke  of  crime  seeking  safety  in 
silence.  With  him,  it  was  a  sign  of  guilt  to  ask  fair  play  and 
open  justice ;  he  would  be  thwarted  in  the  working  of  so  many 
nicely  contrived  entrapments,  that  afford  such  triumphs  to  small 
legal  minds,  versed  alone  in  the  letter,  and  knowing  nothing  of 
the  spirit  of  law.  This  judge  had  no  screws  or  racks  for  a  silent 
victim;  he  surely  would  have  used  them;  he  must  consult  a 
court,  men  who  controlled  him ;  and  they  looked  with  a  better 
eye  upon  the  prisoner. 

It  was  decreed  that  accusers  and  accused  should  meet ;  and 
should  be  heard,  face  to  face.  The  government,  whose  strength 
lay  in  meting  out  justice  to  all,  should  lend  its  ships  of  war,  its 
army ;  nay  stop  the  functions  of  every  servant  in  its  pay,  to  have 
justice  quick  and  faithful,  for  the  meanest  of  its  subjects;  and 
how  much  more  for  a  stranger,  whose  health,  whose  property, 
whose  time  was  wasting,  and  made  painful  by  slow  and  uncertain 
justice,  the  greatest  wrong  of  all  he  had  to  undergo. 

Back  to  Palcmbang,  went  the  Arjuno;  the  decoying  trap  of 
tlu-  Sumatran  chief,  the  blood-stained  prison  of  a  confiding  guest, 
back  it  went  to  bring  the  decoyer  and  false  host;  and  more 


THE    KING'S    BIRTHDAY.  307 

besides ;  the  mulatto  of  Surinam ;  the  naval  captor  of  the  Flirt, 
the  friendly  Shahbandar  ;  the  courteous  Major  5  the  examining" 
Kress,  the  topographical  Captain,  wishful  to  sell  the  secrets  of  his 
service  for  a  carbine  ;  and  with  these  to  bring  the  suspicious 
Resident,  the  courteous  Doctor,  and  related  Havermeester  of 
Minto. 

And  why  should  I  indeed  wish  for  the  presence  of  these 
men  in  Batavia  ?  The  private  spies  of  one  were  my  betrayers ; 
I  had  another's  hate,  for  coming  from  a  land  where  that  man's 
race  were  slaves;  a  third,  with  a  brutal  nature  and  drunken 
delusion,  beheld  in  me  a  rival;  a  fourth,  hating  me  for  being 
thwarted  in  an  ungentlemanly  covetousness  ;  and  all  feeling  some 
Dutch  ill  will,  and  jealousy  of  America ;  and  yet  I  would  have 
them  all  to  come ;  and  give  the  better  chance  that  the  whole  of  a 
dark  story  might  be  known  at  home. 

But  no  tale  shall  be  told  by  many  of  these  men,  no  tale  of 
truth  or  fiction,  of  what  they  saw,  or  what  they  were  persuaded 
to  see.  The  Arjuno  speeds  in  vain  up  the  Moosie ;  she  stems  not 
the  stream  so  swiftly  as  those  have  gone  down,  whom  she  goes  to 
bring ;  they  shall  tell  nothing  of  the  Flirt  or  her  commander ; 
their  story  mingled  with  the  melody  of  the  rambahya  song,  and 
went  with  a  gurgle  down  the  Moosie. 

It  is  the  King's  birthday.  There  are  rejoicings  at  Batavia 
and  Palembang ;  and  wherever  the  Dutch  flag  floats,  they  celebrate 
the  birth  of  a  coarse  bad  man ;  the  hero  of  many  a  vile  deed  of 
night  in  the  Binnenhof,  and  by  the  Koekamp  in  the  Bois  de  la 
Haye ;  the  grandson  of  him  called  William  the  worst.  Hahnshche 
bier  and  schiedam  flow  freely  even  in  Weltevreden ;  and  there  is 
hope  and  rejoicing  among  prisoners  of  state  and  manacled  felons; 
two  prisoners  shall  go  free  on  the  King's  birthday. 

And  who  shall  they  be  ?     The  Colonel  and  the  Baron  ?  or 


308  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

Resident  and  Topographer;  or  perhaps  the  Commander  and  mato 
of  the  Flirt  ?  The  patriotism  of  strong  drink  rises  up  in  song ; 
the  man  has  beer  who  will  have  the  bastinado  on  the  morrow ; 
the  convict  clanks  his  chains  with  maudlin  joy  on  the  nineteenth 
day  of  February ;  for  then  a  king  was  born ;  and  on  this  day, 
there  is  a  jubilee  of  gin  in  the  prison  of  Weltcvreden. 

There  is  revelry  in  the  rakits  on  the  waters  of  the  Moosie ; 
men  are  zealous  to  be  drunk,  drinking  hard,  and  singing  loud ; 
and  "  Willem's  bluid  "  is  mingled  largely  with  patriotic  beer  in 
the  barracks  of  Palembang.  The  red-headed  lieutenant  and  the 
adjutant,  brave  with  schiedam  once  more,  would  honor  the  birth 
day  of  William  the  Third  by  exploits  like  his  own ;  and  go  in 
quest  of  hadjys  again  who  have  helpless  women  to  sell. 

But  they  have  better  escort  than  a  picket  of  men  this  time. 
There  is  the  bloated  lieutenant  of  the  sea,  for  this  is  a  fitting  ex 
pedition  for  him ;  and  for  the  mulatto  of  Surinam ;  but  what  is 
the  haughty  chief  doing  here,  the  cold-hearted  De  Brauw,  and 
the  courtly  Blommestein ;  the  rude  yet  soldierly  Kress ;  the 
worthy  Shahbander,  the  hospitable  Van  Ochsee ;  Buckel,  the  Sec 
retary;  and  Poolman,  van  Hemskerk  and  Schmidt;  all  aroused 
by  the  inspiring  swill  of  schiedam,  are  going  to  do  fitting  honor  to 
the  birthday  of  the  debauchee  of  the  Hague. 

They  are  going  in  a  barge,  to  cross  the  Moosie ;  they  are  thir 
teen  in  all,  besides  the  steersman ;  the  trusty  helmsman  of  the 
Resident ;  but  where  is  he  ?  the  barge  is  ready,  he  is  not  to  be 
found,  and  there  is  no  one  to  steer ;  a  skilful  hand  is  needed  in  the 
swift  current  of  the  stream;  and  one  is  standing  near,  a  half- 
breed,  well  skilled  with  the  dayong,  oar  or  rudder  on  the  waters 
of  the  Moosie ;  and  the  Resident  accepts  the  service  of  the  master 
of  the  barque  from  Bali,  to  steer  them  safely  across  the  stream. 


DROWNING  OF    WITNESSES.  309 

It  was  on  the  day  after  the  birthday  of  the  King  of  Holland, 
on  the  20th  of  February,  1852,  that  this  excursion  took  place; 
this  day  happening  to  be  the  feast  of  the  Chinese  New  Year,  the 
Chap-Go-Meh;  a  day  of  great  license  and  debauch  among  China 
men  in  Sumatra.  As  the  officers  of  the  garrison  wished  to  take 
a  part  in  this  revelry,  the  Resident  had  deferred  the  leave  of  frolic 
for  the  royal  anniversary  until  the  following  day,  when  an  excur 
sion  was  proposed  among  the  Chinese,  and  certain  Malay  cam- 
pongs.  The  Resident  had  business  in  view  in  connection  with  this 
excursion ;  he  had  already  received  instructions  to  obtain  every 
particle  of  evidence  relating  to  the  visit  of  the  Flirt,  and  the  inter 
course  of  her  commander  with  the  natives  of  all  ranks.  He  de 
signed  to  visit  in  particular  the  houses  of  those  Chinamen,  who 
had  entertained  the  American  commander ;  and  he  took  with  him 
those  officers,  who  had  been  the  most  in  his  company,  and  could 
testify  to  the  greater  portion  of  his  conversation  during  his  stay 
at  Palembang.  These  officers  were  to  be  called  upon  for  their 
testimony ;  they  were  the  principal  witnesses  for  the  government. 
They  had  noted  down  words,  said  in  friendly  and  confidential 
moments,  the  same  as  certain  officers  of  the  Arjuno  and  the  Boreas ; 
as  part  of  the  service  of  every  Dutch  military  and  naval  officer  in 
Netherland  India,  is  that  of  a  spy  for  his  government. 

The  absence  of  the  regular  steersman  of  the  cutter  or  barge, 
was  probably  accidental,  as  also  the  presence  of  the  Balinese  Cap 
tain,  who  stood  ready  to  take  his  place.  But  no  doubt  the  half- 
breed  thought  at  once  of  gratifying  his  revenge  for  the  insults 
that  had  been  heaped  upon  him  by  these  Europeans.  He  was  at 
home,  like  a  fish  in  the  water ;  the  river  was  swollen,  the  wind  was 
blowing  fresh ;  it  would  require  skill  to  cross,  and  there  was  no 
safety,  but  in  a  faithful,  as  well  as  a  skilful  hand: 

Plenteous  gin  had  made  the  European  officers  affable  with  the 


310  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

hull-breed;  debauchery  is  democratic;  and  soldierly  pride  and 
magisterial  dignity,  reeling  with  beer,  were  willing  to  follow  the 
Creole  to  a  Chinese  serai.  They  followed  the  dancing  lantern 
lights,  and  the  ding  dong  of  bells,  that  had  guided  the  American 
commander  on  the  last  evening  of  his  freedom  at  Palembaug.  They 
visit  the  rakits  of  Tchoo-Kee-Lin,  the  chief  of  the  Chinamen,  of 
Oey  Soch  Tchay,  and  of  Oey  Tsce  Yang;  the  latter  shows  the 
seat  of  his  late  American  guest,  and  mentions  all  that  he  had  ob 
served  him  do,  and  with  whom  he  had  spoken.  Tumungung 
Nora  Wangsa  has  related  the  conversations  with  Tchoon  Long, 
the  Resident  always  startles  at  the  mention  of  the  name  of  Fcrdano 
Mantri;  the  Chino  Malay  is  sought  for,  and  found,  and  with 
him  they  proceed  to  return  to  the  Fort.  Plentiful  tchoo  having 
been  added  to  gin,  made  the  barge  unsteady  with  reeling  epau 
lettes.  The  two  half-breeds  were  seen  to  speak  together,  before 
they  left  the  shore ;  they  were  seen  to  exchange  looks  on  reaching 
the  mid-current  of  the  stream ;  the  waters  were  rolling  fast,  and 
the  barge  for  a  time  was  held  firmly  with  her  head  to  the  stream ; 
her  sail  fluttered  in  the  wind,  she  began  to  pay  off,  she  is  broach 
ing  too,  broadside  to  the  stream ;  some  one  rushed  towards  the 
Balinese,  but  ere  his  hand  could  be  stayed,  the  waters  of  the 
Moosic  were  sweeping  over  the  barge. 

When  the  first  surge  had  entered  the  boat,  the  half-breeds 
were  out,  and  breasting  their  way  towards  the  native  campongs 
on  the  left  bank  of  the  river.  Many  of  the  Dutchmen,  who  were 
in  a  little  state  cabin,  were  seen  no  more ;  some  uplifted  arms, 
and  epaulettes  were  seen  for  a  time,  but  the  waters  soon  roll  over, 
and  all  were  gone  but  three;  two  dark  faces  stemmed  away 
towards  the  fort,  and  a  last  struggling  arm  was  seized  by  a  native 
Bwimmer.  The  Resident,  the  Assistant  Resident,  and  the  Sha- 


EFFECT    OF    THE    DROWNING.  311 

bandar,  were  all  who  returned  to  the  fort  of  Palembang,  and 
there  were  no  witnesses  to  return  with  the  Arjuno  to  Batavia. 

Some  brave  and  courteous  men,  and  some  rude  and  brutal 
soldiers  were  food  for  the  caymans.  Some  portion  of  the  re 
mains  of  Major  Van  Blommestein,  afterwards  found  far  down  the 
stream,  were  only  recognizable  by  a  fragment  of  uniform  and 
button  attached ;  and  a  skull  with  an  obliterated  face  was  found,  but 
some  remnants  of  deep  red  hair,  told  that  this  was  part  of  the 
once  stern  Kress.  There  are  other  details  of  this  event,  that 
need  not  be  dwelt  on  here,  which  are  recorded  in  the  Javaasche 
Courant,  the  official  journal  of  Batavia,  also  in  the  English  jour 
nals  of  Singapore,  of  the  9th  March,  1852. 
*  ****** 

The  drowning  of  the  ten  officers  at  Palembang ;  the  suspicions 
resting  upon  the  Balinese  Captain,  and  the  half-breed  Chinaman  ; 
their  former  relations  with  the  commander  of  the  Flirt ;  all  these 
circumstances  gave  rise  to  many  extravagant  rumors  and  suppo 
sitions  at  the  time ;  and  caused  the  American  prisoners  at  Welte- 
vreden  to  be  subjected  to  a  more  rigid  surveillance.  Wild  stories 
of  strange-looking  piratical  craft,  having  been  seen  lurking  among 
the  islands  of  the  Straits  of  Simda,  were  in  the  mouths  of  all  the 
gossipers  of  Batavia;  there  were  rumors  of  an  armed  expedition, 
hovering  near  the  coast  of  Java,  watching  an  opportunity  to  carry 
off  from  Krawang,  the  chieftain  Ferdano  Mantri,  and  a  prisoner 
of  Weltevreden. 

The  chieftain  was  confined  more  closely  in  Poorwacarta ;  and 
the  prisoner  was  for  a  time  subjected  to  closer  discipline  in  his 
cell.  He  could  see  no  one,  he  had  no  books  to  read  and  no  means 
to  write.  He  suffered  with  bad  air  and  bad  food ;  he  had  no  re 
lief  from  cheerful  companionship,  and  the  little  child  whom  he 
had  taught,  and  from  whom  he  had  learned,  could  come  no  more 


312  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

with  a  pretty  smiling  face,  and  with  refreshing,  health  preserving 
mangosteens. 

He  began  to  feel  more  fully,  the  desolation  of  four  close,  bare 
walls ;  of  a  wet  tile  floor,  of  a  rude  platform,  of  rusty  iron  bars. 
He  wanted  to  be  tried;  but  his  judges  wanted  to  find  out  the 
foundation  for  the  wild  rumors  they  had  listened  to.  The  Arjuiio 
went  back  again  to  Palembang,  with  peremptory  orders  to  bring 
the  Resident,  with  all  his  surviving  officers,  and  all  natives  that 
could  be  secured,  who  had  spoken  with  the  commander  of  the 
Flirt.  Two  other  steamers,  the  Phoenix  and  the  Borneo,  were 
sent  to  visit  Engano,  to  cruise  in  the  Straits  of  Sunda,  in  those  of 
Gaspar  Straits,  to  visit  Bali,  Linga,  and  many  more  islands  said 
to  have  been  visited  by  the  Flirt,  before  she  touched  at  Minto. 

The  Flying  Dutchman  that  had  so  often  disturbed  the  dreams 
of  sailors  in  the  times  of  Drake  and  Tromp,  had  emigrated  to 
America,  and  had  appeared  with  the  stars  and  stripes  at  the  gaflf 
of  the  Flirt,  among  the  islands  of  Mynheer  in  the  East.  He  had 
been  seen  at  anchor,  among  a  pirate  fleet  in  some  bay  of  Bali ;  or 
scuttling  a  ship  in  Gaspar  Straits ;  selling  cargoes  of  arms  to  the 
people  of  Jambee,  Siak,  and  Indraghiri;  and  doing  many  other 
piratical  feats;  and  as  the  Pylades  had  captured  him,  and  the 
Arjuno  had  brought  him  safely  to  jail,  it  remained  for  the 
Phoenix  and  the  Borneo  to  look  up  the  evidences  of  his  exploits 
in  various  quarters,  since  no  witnesses  from  Palembang  could  bo 
obtained ;  and  thus  the  naval  forces  of  Netherland  India  were  in 
very  active  service  throughout  the  Archipelago  in  1852. 

The  efforts  that  were  made  by  the  Netherland  India  Govern 
ment,  to  hunt  up  evidence  against  the  people  of  the  Flirt,  were 
strangely  disproportioned  to  the  cause  of  the  exertion.  No  man 
in  Netherland  India  had  seen  more  than  nine  feeble  men;  and 
not  a  cannon,  nor  keg  of  powder,  on  board  the  little  schooner; 


THE    SHADOW    BEHIND    THE   FLIRT.  313 

and  yet,  why  had  she  caused  such  alarm  at  Palembang;  and  so 
much  "disturbed  the  peace  of  Netherland  India;"  as  Col.  De 
Brauw  said  in  his  despatch  to  the  Governor  General.  It  was  not 
the  little  Flirt;  but  there  was  a  shadow  of  something  behind  her ; 
a  largely  looming  shadow  of  a  presence,-  coming  to  disturb  a 
peaceful  monopoly  of  more  than  two  hundred  years.  The  shadow 
of  a  power  fast  coming,  was  there;  that  would  know  why  great 
empires  of  land,  and  forest  and  mineral  wealth,  were  to  remain 
embargoed  by  a  petty  power,  that  had  only  the  force  to  menace, 
and  not  the  means  to  develop  and  control. 

13 


THIRTY-NINTH  DAY. 

FOR  a  time  it  was  a  hard  struggle  even  with  some  help  of  philo 
sophy  of  soul,  and  a  good  constitution,  to  bear  up  against  hope 
deferred,  uncertainty  of  law,  badgering  in  the  judgment  seat,  bad 
quarters,  bad  air,  worse  food,  and  nothing  to  do.  This, — the  hardest 
fate  of  all  for  a  prisoner,  to  have  nothing  to  do,  but  to  prey  upon 
himself;  to  dream  of  home,  of  bright  firesides,  of  shady  groves, 
of  sunny  fields,  and  glistening  spring  streams;  and  then  of  love- 
in  its  best  and  brightest  garb,  of  love  without  motive,  love  with 
out  thought  of  gain;  beside  it  in  the  quiet  home,  beside  it  in  the 
fields,  and  by  the  sea  shore;  and  then  to  think  of  lapse  of  time, 
of  the  gulf  of  space ;  of  the  good  forgotten,  and  evil  only  grow 
ing  by  absence;  to  feel  the  world  rolling  over  us,  alive  in  a  gravo; 
no  one  heeding,  no  one  coming;  not  a  voice  through  those  bars, 
but  the  voice  of  demons,  aye,  demons  of  cells,  who  come  alone  to 
lonely  men,  and  blow,  foul  staining  breaths,  on  mirrors  of  home, 
blotting  out  love,  and  hope,  and  peace  from  the  self-eating  heart 

But  there  was  work  for  the  prisoner  to  do;  something  to  rouse 
the  self-preying  soul;  work  for  his  jailers,  work  for  the  Govern 
ment  ;  that  had  put  all  its  talent  into  prison. 

The  Government  wanted  many  millions  of  bricks,  to  build 
uoinc  store-houses,  some  barracks,  and  some  more  walls  and  ct  lls 


THE  UNHUNG  MARSHAL  OP  NAPOLEON.          315 

in  the  prison  of  Weltevreden.  The  government,  like  all  other 
governments,  gave  its  good  jobs  for  public  service  or  public  plun 
der  to  favorites  of  the  governing  ones,  without  much  regard  to  the 
interest  of  the  governed. 

The  contract  for  bricks  was  given  to  the  grandson  of  a  stout 
supporter  of  the  Netherland  India  monopoly.  A  terrible  man, 
by  the  way,  was  that  grandfather,  who  took  large  contracts  to  slay 
men ;  a  marshal  of  the  great  contractor,  Napoleon ; — the  Marshal 
Dacndels,  of  whom  the  imperial  warrior  said,  that  if  he  had  two 
Daondels  in  his  army,  he  must  hang  one;  so  terrible  for  hanging 
his  own  people,  as  well  as  for  slaying  the  enemy,  was  that  old 
Dutch  marshal. 

He  was  sent  during  the  imperial  sway  of  his  commander  in 
chief,  to  be  Governor  General  of  the  late  Dutch  empire  in  the 
East,  now  merged  into  the  empire  of  the  French.  He  gave  out 
contracts  to  build  forts  and  roads.  He  said  to  one,  make  ten  mil 
lions  of  bricks,  and  to  build  a  fort  within  six  months,  and  if  not 
finished,  the  man  should  hang  on  the  top  of  his  work.  He  bade 
the  people  of  Java,  to  make  a  road  the  whole  length  of  the 
island,  from  Anjer  to  Banjoowangie,  on  which  he  might  roll  his 
carriages  and  his  cannon,  and  for  every  portion  not  finished  in  a 
given  time,  he  hung  those  who  directed  the  labor;  such  a  fort- 
builder  and  road-maker  was  the  terrible  Marshal  Daendels. 

But  this  was  not  all;  whilst  he  demanded  the  labor  of  the 
men,  and  hucg  when  not  promptly  performed,  he  demanded  the 
favors  of  the  women;  and  was  as  ruthless  when  thwarted  in  the 
favor  of  the  one,  as  by  a  failure  in  the  labor  of  the  other.  He 
burst  through  the  wilderness  of  Java,  with  his  great  military 
road;  and  he  burst  into  many  a  Javan  home,  with  his  great 
soldierly  lust.  At  every  relay  on  his  highway  march,  there  was 


316  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEV. 

a  virgin  sacrifice  offered  to  this  Blue  Beard,  this  great  devouring 
Dutch  Moloch  of  Java. 

And  a  grandson  of  this  man,  this  marshal  of  Napoleon,  this 
chief  devil  of  the  Javanese,  had  a  contract  for  bricks;  but  had 
none  of  the  grandfather's  way  of  getting  the  job  done.  Bricks 
were  no  longer  to  be  made,  as  in  the  old  man's  time,  when  tho 
clay  of  Java  might  have  been  mixed  with  Javan  virgins'  tears, 
and  worked  with  the  fettered  feet  of  Javan  princes.  The  grand 
son  must  content  himself  with  the  sweat  of  Chinese  coolies,  and 
the  working  feet  of  Javanese  buffaloes. 

Hand-working  and  beast-tramping  were  too  slow  for  the  wants 
of  the  Government,  but  what  was  to  be  done?  there  was  DO 
marshal  now,  to  demand  the  unwilling  labor  of  five  thousand 
men ;  for  just  so  many  were  wanted  to  do  the  work  as  fast  as  re 
quired;  and  these  could  not  be  got,  nor  paid  when  obtained.  Tho 
government  need  of  bricks  was  talked  of  in  Batavia.  A  great 
many  Dutch  labor-saving  ideas  were  suggested;  but  all,  very 
little  faster  than  Chinese  feet  and  buffalo  hoofs. 

There  was  one,  who  had  travelled  in  America ;  he  had  heard 
of  machines  in  that  country,  that  turned  out  their  thousand  of 
brick,  whilst  a  buffalo  could  turn  round.  Where  was  tho 
American  that  could  tell  the  contractor  something  about  such  ;i 
brick-making  machine  ?  Two  men  then  lived  in  Java,  wanderers 
from  the  land  of  notions,  who  could  tell  something,  give  some 
idea  of  a  plan ;  but  they  had  been  thirty  years  absent  from  home ; 
thirty  years  behindhand  with  the  progress-  of  their  country;  and 
the  American  burghers  of  Batavia  could  not  start  any  ideas  for 
making  bricks  any  faster  than  their  Dutch  fellow-subjects. 

But  these  are  not  all  the  Americans  in  Java;  we  have  somo 
c.igcd  in  Weltevreden.  The  contractor  and  his  friends  speak 
whimperingly  about  them.  They  must  be  cautious  how  they  mix 


A  GOVERNMENT  CONTRACTOR  IN  PRISON.  317 

up  treason  with  bricks.  The  marshal's  grandson  has  a  friend,  a 
fine,  generous,  brave  young  fellow,  whose  father  was  the  noted 
friend  of  Americans,  at  a  time  when  there  was  no  heavy  export 
duty  on  coffee,  and  the  roadstead  of  Batavia  was  often  filled  with 
American  sails;  that  father,  though  not  in  trade,  kept  open  house 
for  Americans,  whom  he  loved  to  see ;  and  now  the  son  had  often 
called  on  the  American  prisoners  in  Weltevreden,  and  had  been 
active  to  soften  their  condition. 

The  contractor  spoke  with  his  young  friend  about  the  Ameri 
can  prisoners ;  were  they  all  ruffianly  sailors,  captain  and  crew  ? 
or  was  there  a  gentleman  among  them,  one  having  some  knowledge 
of  the  art  and  science  of  his  country  ?  The  young  friend  thought 
there  was  more  than  one ;  men  who  seemed  to  know  a  little  of 
books  as  well  as  of  ropes.  The  one  he  knew  best,  was  the  com 
mander  ;  he  spoke  of  him  in  the  kindness  of  his  generous  young 
heart,  with  some  partiality.  The  contractor  became  interested,  he 
wanted  to  see  him ;  he  had  a  friend  in  the  court  of  justice,  and 
obtained  permission  to  visit  the  prison  of  Weltevreden. 

The  contractor  and  his  friend  came  together ;  they  found  a 
prisoner  much  sick  and  worn  out ;  the  young  friend  brought  some 
smuggled  trifles  to  refresh  him,  and  spoke  words  of  hope  and 
encouragement;  and  the  contractor  spoke  of  the  machine  that 
was  wanted.  The  prisoner  knew  but  little  of  such  things;  he 
did  not  say  so;  for  a  hope  dawned  on  his  mind;  his  memory 
was  busy  with  what  he  had  seen  in  his  visits  to  workshops,  and 
at  fairs  of  mechanics  at  home;  thoughts  were  busy,  and  he  felt 
in  a  mood  to  attempt  impossibilities;  it  would  be  something  to 
do,  and  he  might  raise  up  means  and  friends  outside,  by  the 
attempt. 

The  prisoner  said,  that  he  had  seen  such  a  machine  as  was 
wanted ;  one  that  would  save  the  labor  of  hundreds  of  men ;  ho 


318  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

believed  that  such  a  one  could  be  made  in  Java,  that  Javanpse 
mechanics  had  skill  enough  to  follow  a  good  plan,  and  he  could 
make  that  plan.  The  contractor  was  taken  aback,  this  was  far 
more  than  he  had  dreamed  of; — to  get  some  idea  of  the  nature  and 
cost  of  one,  to  be  sent  for,  was  all  that  he  had  hoped  for ;  but  to 
have  one  made  in  Batavia,  why,  it  would  be  a  colonial  invention, 
and  he  would  get  an  octroi  or  patent  from  the  Government. 

The  prisoner  was  pressed  with  eager  questions.  Could  he 
indeed  do  such  a  thing  ?  make  a  brick  machine  ?  He  would  try. 
The  contractor  was  in  ecstasies ;  he  would  give  ten  thousand  reci- 
pessen  (about  $3,000),  for  such  a  plan; — for  a  good  drawing  from 
which  a  machine  might  be  made.  The  prisoner  boldly  pledged 
himself  to  produce  the  plan;  his  young  friend  and  prison  com 
forter  became  his  guarantee ;  and  the  contract  for  the  brick  ma 
chine  was  made  in  the  prison  of  Weltevreden. 

The  contractor  and  his  friend  had  influence  to  obtain  from  the 
Court  of  Justice,  many  relaxations  of  the  surveillance  and  disci 
pline  that  had  been  imposed  on  the  commander  of  the  Flirt.  He 
now  saw  his  prison  friends  again,  the  Baron,  the  Trader,  the 
Schoolmaster,  and  the  interesting  little  Umbah.  He  received 
paper,  pencils,  and  instruments,  all  that  he  wanted;  and  was 
busily  and  happily  at  work  for  the  Government  of  Netherland 
India,  like  the  Resident,  the  Colonel,  the  Baron,  the  Topographer, 
the  Russian,  and  the  rest  of  the  talent  which  that  government 
had  locked  up  in  jail. 

But  in  the  case  of  the  brick  machine,  the  fact  as  to  who  was 
the  planner,  was  to  be  concealed  from  the  authorities.  The  pay 
ment  for  the  plan  would  depend  on  the  preservation  of  secrecy ; 
as  no  octroi  could  be  obtained  for  the  work  of  a  foreigner,  much 
less  a  prisoner,  and  such  a  prisoner;  treason  would  be  suspected  in 
a  machine  from  him,  that  might  turn  out  to  be  when  made  some 


THE    BRICK    MACHINE.  319 

self-acting  catapult  to  pelt  the  Dutch  out  of  Java,  instead  of  a 
peaceful  grinder  and  moulder  of  clay. 

The  draftsman  affected  to  be  occupied  with  various  small 
sketches  for  his  patrons;  but  during  the  siesta  hour,  and  other 
undisturbed  periods,  he  was  busy  with  combinations  of  clay-work 
ers  and  brick-moulders.  It  was  perhaps  a  rashly  undertaken  task 
for  one  who  had  dealt  so  little  in  bricks,  who  had  never  seen  a  brick 
machine,  except  to  gaze  at  it  as  a  curiosity,  who  had  never  bought  a 
brick,  nor  sold  a  brick,  nor  ever  thought  particularly  about  bricks 
before. 

He  had  a  confused  picture  in  his  brain  of  revolving  cogs,  of  a 
huge  clay  hopper,  and  then  of  little  sliding  boxes  and  scrapers,  and 
of  brown  bricks  shoved  out  on  a  platform,  like  brown  bread  from 
a  Dutch  oven.  But  this  picture  was  like  some  few  notes  of  a 
rare  song,  that  chime  on  the  ear,  that  flit  through  the  air ;  but  the 
untaught  throat  can  make  no  melody  of  it ;  nor  could  the  drafts 
man  get  his  cogs,  moulds,  and  scrapers,  into  feasible  shape  for 
making  bricks. 

He  spoiled  sheet  after  sheet  of  good  drawing-board  •  he  made 
cogs  to  revolve  horizontal  and  perpendicular ;  he  made  bricks  to 
slide  out,  to  be  shoved  out,  to  drop  out ;  but  still  the  way  was  not 
clear  how  they  got  in,  got  started ;  or  how  they  came  out  at  all. 
He  devoured  every  page  of  a  few  old  Dutch  books,  having  some 
meagre  details  of  mechanics ;  now  more  harmonious  to  him  than 
the  graceful  postures  and  pantun  songs  of  Pleasant  Night  of  the 
Ulu. 

He  strove  in  vain  for  a  time,  to  work  out  a  principle  into  the 
details  of  a  working  plan ;  and  oftentimes  he  paused  to  think  that 
he  might  be  like  a  forger  of  his  own  chains ;  or  like  the  maker 
of  the  brazen  bull  of  Phalaris  for  roasting  men ;  or  the  French 


320 


PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 


chopper  off  of  heads ;  the  first  use  of  his  machine,  might  be  to 
make  bricks  to  strengthen  his  jail. 

But  he  thought  of  the  guilders,  he  thought  of  home,  and  all 
the  bright  world  outside ;  and  ideas  began  to  dawn,  the  idea  of 
the  brick  machine ;  and  the  idea  to  get  out,  before  his  own  skill 
had  strengthened  his  jail.  He  had  got  a  hopper  reared  up,  and 
revolving  buckets  to  feed  it,  some  troughs  leading  the  clay  into 
an  endless  chain  of  moulds,  and  buffaloes  hitched  to  levers  like 
arms  of  a  cotton  press;  when  the  contractor  called  to  see  the 
progress  of  the  work. 


The  grandson  of  Napoleon's  marshal  was  in  raptures,  he  did 
not  know  why  ;  he  knew  little  of  mechanics ;  but  he  saw  a  ma 
chine,  though  little  knowing  where  the  clay  went  in,  and  where 


,  AN   OCTROI    OBTAINED.  321 

the  bricks  came  out.  The  young  friend  was  proud  to  see  the 
work  done,  as  though  it  were  the  achievement  of  a  brother ;  his 
guarantee  was  made  good ;  and  in  the  joy  of  his  generous  heart 
he  drew  forth  a  gold  watch  of  costly  make,  which  is  worn  by  that 
draftsman  to  this  day. 

The  grandson  of  the  marshal,  had  a  copy  of  the  plan  made 
by  a  skilful  Chinese  artist ;  who  though  so  little  inventive,  are  so 
famed  for  copying  painting,  plan,  or  writing,  with  the  minute 
fidelity  of  the  copying  sun.  Plan  and  papers  were  laid  before  the 
grave  Council  of  India,  Yan  Nes,  Hogendorp,  R/uloffs,  and 
Visscher,  the  four  advisers  of  his  Excellency,  the  Minister  of 
State,  and  Governor  General  of  Netherland  India,  Mynheer 
Albertus  Jacob  Duymaer  Van  Twist. 

The  skill  of  Tromp,  the  chief  of  Dutch  engineers  in  the  East, 
and  chief  examiner  of  the  Government  patent  office  at  Batavia, 
was  called  in  to  judge  the  work  of  the  grandson  of  the  glorious 
marshal  of  road-making  memory.  His  triumphs  of  war,  in  forts, 
roads  and  rapes,  were  counted  dim  by  the  side  of  the  grandson's 
triumph  in  peace ;  who  would  pour  out  bricks,  and  rear  forts, 
and  jails  with  so  little  cost  of  guilders,  blood  and  virtue. 

The  octroi  was  obtained,  "  voor  een  machine  tot  het  vervaar- 
digen  van  muursteenen  en  dakpannen"  for  a  brick  and  tile 
machine,  granted  to  the  grandson  of  Napoleon's  marshal,  for  the 
exclusive  making  of  bricks,  throughout  Java,  Sumatra,  Borneo, 
and  Papua,  whenever  bricks  should  be  needed  there  by  Dutch 
burghers,  throughout  in  fact  all  of  Netherland  India,  which  in 
the  eyes  of  that  Governor,  Council,  and  the  Government  at  the 
Hague,  is  all  land  south  of  the  equator,  and  all  east  of  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  in  the  Indian  Ocean. 

The  contractor  got  his  octroi,  quicker  than  the  inventor  got 
his  money.  He  had  to  wait  for  the  most  of  it,  till  a  machine  and 
13* 


322  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

bricks  were  made;  but  the  money  did  come,  after  a  long  lapse  of 
prison  life;  it  came  in  good  time,  when  the  prison  walls  began  to 
grow  thicker  and  to  rise  higher,  when  hope  of  help  from  home, 
and  hope  of  justice  began  to  fail;  then  the  brick  machine  that 
WMS  helping  to  strengthen  the  prison,  did  good  service  for  the 
prisoner  of  Wdtevreden. 

But  this  was  not  the  only  plan  of  machine  that  was  made , 
nor  the  only  octroi  granted  by  the  Government  of  Nethcrland 
India,  for  the  work  of  the  "  high  traitor,"  they  held  in  their  civil 
and  military  jail.  They  had  no  good  means  to  cut  joints,  tenons, 
and  knees  for  ship  timber;  nor  any  contrivance  with  fine  saws  to 
rip  up  in  veneering  flakes,  the  sandalwood,  camphor,  and  other  fine 
woods  of  the  Archipelago. 

The  late  commander  of  the  Flirt  was  more  at  home  in  ship 
timbers,  than  in  bricks;  he  had  less  difficulty  with  the  arrange 
ment  of  round  and  upright  saw  blades,  than  in  the  arranging  of 
brick  moulds  and  clay  scrapers ;  he  arranged  gear  to  make  sloping 
cuts  for  knees ;  and  curving  ones  for  fellies ;  and  the  plan  was 
octroied ;  for  they  had  need  of  great  improvement  in  ships  and 
cart  wheels  in  Netherland  India. 

The  labors  of  the  prisoner  did  not  cease  with  his  plans  to  fash 
ion  useful  things  out  of  the  earth  and  the  forest,  for  his  jailers; 
they  had  work  for  him  in  the  water;  not  in  the  grand  old  ocean 
to  guide  some  ship  he  had  made,  over  its  broad  bosom,  to  search 
for  what  had  slipped  the  eye  of  Hanno,  Columbus,  De  Gama,  Cook, 
La  Peyrouse,  and  Van  Dieman ;  no,  they  wanted  him  to  make  a 
ptcam  washing  machine. 

This  prisoner  might  think  no  more  of  vying  with  those  old 
navigators  of  Carthage,  Spain,  Portugal,  England,  France,  and 
Holland.  He  had  launched  his  last  keel,  he  had  buffeted  his  last 
wave  with  the  bows  of  the  Flirt;  but  he  might  still  win  glory 


VARIOUS    EMPLOYMENT    IN    PRISON.  323 

and  gold,  with  steam,  soap,  dashers,  driers,  and  mangles;  in  pro 
viding  a  means  for  the  speedy  cleansing  of  the  linen  of  the  great 
unwashed  army  and  navy  of  Netherland  India. 

Boilers  were  contrived,  with  pipes  leading  into  vats,  pipes 
with  punctured  ends  like  garden  cans  from  whence  the  hot  steam 
was  to  issue,  into  the  cold  water  bubbling  and  clattering,  like 
jostled  plates  of  metal;  dashers  were  produced,  like  the  fuller's 
buffeting  pedals,  a  drying  drum,  then  mangling  rollers  for  smooth 
ing  the  Dutchmen's  shirts;  and  even  crimpers  and  fluters  for 
Dutch  dames'  collars  and  caps;  thus  the  steam  washing  machine 
was  made ;  and  another  octroi  was  granted  to  two  Hebrew  Ger 
man  merchants  of  Batavia,  who  hold  their  patent  to  this  day. 

These  labors  extended  over  a  lengthened  period  of  the  stay  of 
the  prisoner  in  Weltevreden,  about  the  half  of  a  year ;  and  dur 
ing  the  time,  he  had  seen  many  changes,  many  strange  scenes, 
many  new  faces.  He  had  seen  the  Baron  reformed ;  and  Umbah 
reading  Malay;  he  had  gained  the  privilege  of  a  walk  in  the 
court ;  and  had  talked  with  the  Colonel  about  the  army,  with  the 
Resident  about  the  jurisprudence;  and  with  the  mad  lawyer, 
about  the  absence  of  all  law  in  Netherland  India. 

He  had  talked  with  the  Dyak  pirate  about  Borneo ;  and  he 
had  seen  a  later  fellow  prisoner,  a  director  of  mines  of  coal  near 
Banyarmassin,  from  whom  he  had  obtained  copies  of  the  great 
tortuous  river  of  Banjer  or  Barito ;  and  from  other  sources,  he 
mapped  the  Kahajan,  the  Moorung,  the  Kuteh,  the  Kapooas,  the 
Sambas,  and  other  waters,  and  of  the  interior  of  the  great  con 
tinent  island  of  the  Archipelago. 

He  saw  prisoners  and  visitors  from  without,  from  Celebes,  the 
Moluccas,  Timor,  Papua,  and  from  all  parts  of  the  Archipelago. 
He  used  all  his  small  chances,  to  take  notes,  sketches,  and  plans ; 
and  why  ?  to  prepare  some  plan  of  invasion  ?  to  get  afloat  once 


324  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

more,  and  to  start  for  Jambce  with  some  machine  in  the  Flirt, 
that  should  save  the  work  of  hands  and  guns,  and  knock  down 
Dutchmen,  as  he  had  turned  out  bricks  ? 

There  were  Dutchmen  willing  to  believe  such  things  as  that; 
Dutchmen  in  the  Government,  and  Dutchmen  in  the  courts  of 
Netherland  India.  They  got  some  hint  of  his  doings,  and  paid 
him  a  domiciliary  visit  of  justice ;  although  they  found  nothing, 
but  some  rude  and  rejected  tracings ;  yet  they  saw  little  else  but 
treason  in  river  and  coast  lines;  and  in  sketchings  of  cogs, 
buckets,  saw  teeth,  flowers,  brick  moulds,  kriss  blades,  mangos- 
teens,  wash  tubs,  and  Malay  women. 

They  curtailed  his  liberty  again;  his  walks  in  the  court,  his 
talks  with  the  prisoners ;  he  was  called  often  to  the  Hall  of  In 
struction,  to  that  weary  little  black  hall,  whither  he  went ;  and 
elsewhere  before  judges  in  Batavia;  altogether  two  and  fifty 
times  did  he  appear  before  a  judicial  tribunal,  during  his  strango 
fluctuating  life,  of  hopes  and  fears,  of  teaching  and  learning,  of 
inventing  and  laboring ;  and  of  misery  and  plenty ;  and  of  bitter 
sorrow  and  pleasant  interest  in  the  prison  of  Weltevreden. 

The  weary  prisoner  denied  his  former  use  of  books,  paper, 
pencils,  and  pens,  made  charts  and  vocabularies  on  his  bare  walls. 
He  studied  a  little  of  language  from  every  sentinel,  and  every 
convict,  that  would  talk  to  him  through  his  bars ;  learning  of 
Dyak  language  habits  and  piracy  from  his  waiter;  and  much 
about  the  common  life  of  the  masses  of  these  islands  from  other 
waiters  and  soldiers;  a  piece  of  charcoal  transmitted  what  he 
learned  to  his  broad  pages  of  plaster;  and  by  and  by,  when 
scrawled  all  full  in  columns  from  top  to  bottom,  the  cells  were 
whitewashed,  and  that  gave  him  a  new  supply  of  stationery. 


THE    WRITING    ON    THE    WALL. 


325 


Yes,  with  charcoal,  and  on  his  bare  walls,  he  wrought  out 
many,  a  fancy,  many  a  thought;  they  fled  with  the  whitewash 
brush ;  but  the  record  on  the  wall  for  a  time,  helped  memory  the 
better  to  hold  them  till  now.  And  those  thoughts  and  fancies 
were  all  wrought  out  and  treasured  for  the  instruction  or  enter 
tainment,  and  none  for  the  hurt  of  his  fellow-man;  and  his  jailers 
might  have  seen  this,  and  spared  him  some  misery,  and  themselves 
some  shame. 

"  Hang  him  or  let  him  go  free,"  were  wise  words,  said  by  one 
old  judge ;  but  he  spoke  in  vain  to  his  younger  colleagues,  like 
the  Samnite  Senator  to  his  compatriots,  when  they  had  caught 
the  Romans  in  the  Caudine  forks.  "  Let  them  go  untouched,  and 
make  a  great  people  your  fast  friends;"  said  the  Samnite.  "  Let 


326  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

him  go,  restored  to  all  he  had ;  and  make  the  citizen  of  a  great 
people,  your  praiser  amoiig  them;  "  said  the  Bataviau  judge. 

But  the  other  judges,  councillors,  and  Government  of  Batavia, 
would  fain  try  the  timid  policy  of  the  younger  Samuites ;  pursue 
a  middle  course,  use  the  yoke  and  the  prison,  delighting  to  tor 
ment  ;  but  not  having  nerve  to  kill.  And  did  not  the  one  reap  a 
harvest  of  war  and  utter  ruin  for  this  wavering,  unworthy  policy 
for  a  nation  ?  and  what  has  the  Government  of  Netherland  India 
reaped,  by  the  policy  it  pursued  ? 

It  may  have  reaped  only  this ;  a  slight  unveiling,  perhaps  the 
slight  awakening  of  an  interest,  nothing  more,  among  the  great 
people  of  America,  to  inquire  into  the  monopoly  of  Holland  in 
the  East.  And  that  inquiry  may  not  be  stilled,  till  the  monopoly 
of  nations  that  cannot  be  controlled,  of  lands  that  cannot  be  tilled,  of 
mines  that  cannot  be  worked,  and  of  spices  that  cannot  be  gath 
ered,  shall  have  ceased  in  the  East  Indian  Archipelago. 

The  Romans  went  under  the  yoke;  the  prisoner  is  in  his 
prison ;  and  he  is  weak  and  weary,  and  wanting  many  things  at 
this  time.  He  has  made  machines  for  bricks ;  but  he  needs  a  few 
dry  ones  for  his  floor ;  he  has  set  many  saws  in  whirling  motion ; 
but  not  one  will  cut  through  those  iron-studded  doors ;  and  he 
has  contrived  a  plan  for  washing  an  army  in  a  day ;  but  he  sadly 
needs  some  washing ;  and  even  some  linen  to  be  washed. 

He  has  now  money  to  buy ;  but  he  cannot  have  all  he  wants ; 
some  proper  hands  to  prepare  some  of  the  under  garments  of  ci 
vilized  life ;  he  was  not  fastidious,  he  knew  rough  life  and  rough 
fare ;  but  it  was  harsher  than  coarse  fare,  to  go  with  unwashed 
linen;  or  to  roam  his  cell  like  the  Phidian  Jupiter, — or  like  his 
iH-i^hbor  the  Baron,  who  had  been  fifteen  years  a  soldier; 
and  had  a  good  tough  Dutch  skin. 

His  young  friend,  the  solace  of  his  prison,  came  to  his  aid;  he 


WOMAN'S  DUTIES  IN  JAVA.  327 

had  a  relative  in  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Court,  the  one  the  prisoner 
had  met,  during  his  first  hours  of  liberty  in  Batavia ;  the  young 
man  plead  with  his  relative ;  the  judge  came  to  see  the  prisoner; 
he  spoke  with  him  kindly,  he  had  wished  him  to  go  free,  long  time 
ago.  He  spoke  with  the  jailer  to  relax  agian,  despite  the  orders 
of  the  Attorney  General ;  the  prisoner  received  many  comforts ; 
and  he  should  not  wash  clothes  in  his  yard  any  more ;  but  should 
have  the  service  of  a  washerman. 

Washing,  sewing,  cooking,  waiting,  and  the  most  of  domestic 
work  done  by  women  in  the  western  world,  is  performed  by  men 
in  the  East.  In  the  Archipelago,  as  in  Hindustan  and  China, 
men  milliners  cut  and  make  the  dresses  of  European  and  native 
ladies ;  chambermen  make  up  the  beds  instead  of  chambermaids ; 
and  male  hands  dash  and  rub  and  soap  soiled  linen ;  wringing, 
drying,  starching,  and  ironing,  and  doing  all  the  duty  of  a  wash 
erwoman. 

Women  have  not  much  to  do  of  housework  in  Java,  they  do 
the  most  of  the  responsible  labor  of  men, — except  the  fighting, 
the  gambling,  opium  smoking  and  drinking  of  arrack;  they  set 
up  shop,  a  toko,  and  like  grass  widows  of  Paris,  do  all  the  small 
counter  transfers  of  trade,  the  small  peddling  of  wares,  and 
changing  of  coin;  gain  little  freeholds  and  cabins  of  their  own; 
and  often  generously  support  some  returning,  recreant  lord,  con 
tent  to  live  ingloriously  on  the  gains  of  woman's  saving  and 
skill. 

A  washerman  came  to  the  prison,  to  help  the  washing-machine 
maker  wash  his  own  clothes.  This  orang  chuchee,  this  washer 
man,  had  another  privileged  client  in  prison ;  the  two  made  some 
bulk  of  clothes  to  carry ;  and  Clmchee's  wife  came  to  help ;  but 
not  always;  there  came  another  to  bear  the  burden  of  one  pri 
soner's  clothes,  a  help  that  bore  away  the  burden  of  many  a  prison 


328  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

care ;  and  sent  him  garments  once  that  helped  him  to  walk  forth 
from  those  prison  walls. 

Who  was  that  help,  that  aided  the  Chuchee,  that  cheered  the 
prison,  that  bore  away  clothes  and  cares  ?  A  help  without  hire, 
a  liberator  without  ransom;  who  was  that  help,  that  came  to 
Wrltevreden?  The  story  was  told  by  one  when  fresh  from  its 
walls,  by  him  who  was  helped,  when  grateful  memories  of  the 
helper  were  fresh,  warm  in  his  heart,  not  warmer  than  now ;  but 
brighter  and  livelier,  as  he  bounded  homeward  on  rolling  waters. 

The  warm  words  of  his  fancies  then,  the  fancies  that  danced 
with  the  waves,  are  fitter  for  the  theme,  than  the  heavy  thoughts  of 
these  after  years,  made  weary  by  much  hard  tilting  with  harsh 
souled  men.  Let  us  listen  to  the  story,  along  with  the  mission 
aries  and  their  spouses,  the  young  lady,  the  nurse,  the  baby, 
the  Boatswain,  the  Captain  and  his  lady,  on  board  the  Palmer,  on 
her  homeward  voyage  from  Java. 


FORTIETH  DAY. 

I  HAD  passed  five  months  in  prison;  the  first  of  these,  full  of 
startling  change ;  from  a  yacht  to  a  fort ;  two  valets  in  a  dainty 
cabin ;  two  marines  guarding  me  in  a  kennel  in  a  ship's  hold ; 
and  then  passing  from  a  bloody  berth  to  a  bloody  cell ;  from  a 
steamship  to  a  guardship,  and  from  amid  sailor  cursings  to  ma 
niac  ravings.  I  had  passed  through  a  painful  ebb  and  flow  of  hope ; 
two  days  I  had  been  free,  then  back  to  my  cell ;  worried  with 
examinations  before  a  prosecution  where  I  had  no  aid  of  coun 
sel  ;  asking  for  trial,  asking  for  confrontation  with  my  accusers ; 
but  justice  delaying;  and  Providence  interposing,  making  my 
complex  case  still  more  complicated,  and  then  at  last  getting 
up  an  interest  in  the  companionship  of  my  prison,  in  the  Baron, 
Uinbah,  and  my  neighbor  felons ;  and  thus  passed  the  first  month 
in  Weltevreden. 

I  had  become  well  used  to  the  fare,  to  the  rice  and  curry ;  I 
found  indeed  my  stomach  strengthening ;  for  it  had  been  a  little 
ailing  in  years  past,  as  it  is  with  nearly  all  at  home  in  America, 
feeding  on  fats  and  sweet  and  pasty  compounds ;  I  no  longer 
awoke  with  the  accustomed  clammy  tongue  and  dizzy  head,  that 
followed  the  richer  fare  of  home.  Rice,  the  chief  grain  food  of 
two  thirds  of  the  people  of  the  earth,  when  cooked  dry  and  soft, 
as  in  the  East,  is  an  open,  porous  mass  in  the  stomach,  allow 
ing  the  ready  action  of  digesting  juices,  far  better  for  the  seden- 


330  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

tary,  women,  pcnsmcn,  artists ;  than  the  more  concentrated  fari 
naceous  grains.  I  must  thank  the  Dutch  for  forcing  me  to 
appreciate  the  health-preserving  diet  of  rice  and  fruits. 

I  had  become  used  to  a  wet  floor,  an  oozing  sweat  from  the 
moat;  I  had  dreaded  cramps  and  aching  joints,  the  fate  of  others 
in  the  cells ;  but  they  never  came.  I  kept  always  on  my  stilt- 
like  clogs;  and  took  as  much  care  to  dress,  with  what  I  had,  as 
when  among  society  outside.  The  prisoners  who  abandoned 
themselves  to  a  half  nude  state,  to  an  unkept  face,  to  unshod 
feet;  seeking  ease  and  an  escape  from  the  heat;  seemed  to  suffer 
the  more.  Their  feet  swelled,  their  bodies  became  blotched  and 
festered  with  exposure ;  and  Java  fever,  that  scourge  which  had 
given  to  Batavia  the  name  of  the  grave  of  Europeans,  was  almost 
daily  thinning  out  the  prison. 

I  hud  obtained  the  privilege  of  a  walk  in  the  main  court,  half 
an  hour  in  the  morning,  and  half  an  hour  in  the  afternoon.  I  had 
become  acquainted  with  the  Resident,  the  Topographer,  and  the 
Colonel,  at  their  several  gratings  ;  I  had  talked  with  the  mad  law 
yer,  I  had  studied  Dutch  and  Sumatra  with  the  Baron ;  the  Malay 
and  Arabic  writing  with  Umbah  and  the  Schoolmaster ;  and  thus 
passed  away  my  second  month  in  prison. 

I  had  counted  my  stay  by  days,  then  by  weeks ;  but  now  I 
began  to  count  by  months ;  and  hopes  of  liberty  or  escape,  that 
had  at  first  seemed  painful,  when  a  week  ahead,  now  seemed  more 
tolerable,  if  likely  to  happen  in  a  month  to  come.  The  pain  of 
the  prison  had  not  become  less,  but  I  had  begun  to  enter  into  a  world 
within  these  confining  walls;  and  I  found  opportunities  there,  bet 
ter,  perhaps,  than  if  I  had  been  some  well  comforted  guest  in  a 
hotel  outside,  for  obtaining  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  people, 
and  resources  of  the  East  Indian  Archipelago. 

I  seemed  to  be  forgotten  ;  there  was  but  little  incident  in  con- 


LIBERATION    OF   THE    CREW    OF   THE    FLIRT.  331 

nection  with  my  judges  and  jailers,  after  the  drowning  of  the  wit 
nesses  at  Palembang.  I  learned  afterwards  of  the  busy  search 
for  evidence,  but  during  the  time,  I  heard  nothing  of  what  was 
doing  in  my  case ;  heard  no  word  from  home,  from  Commodore, 
or  Americans  any  where,  in  reply  to  all  the  messages  that  I  sent 
forth,  and  so  it  was,  that  with  studies  and  machine  making  I  passed 
very  quietly  all  of  the  third  month  in  prison. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  fourth,  my  late  crew  were  set 
free.  The  men  were  liberated  in  order  to  make  witnesses  of 
them ;  and  it  had  been  supposed  from  some  peevish  words  of  a 
few,  that  they  would  testify  against  their  commander ;  but  never 
was  prosecution  more  disappointed  in  a  set  of  witnesses,  than 
the  attorney-general  and  Government  in  my  sailors.  They  were 
all  true,  even  the  Brazilians ;  not  one  word,  but  what  most  tri 
umphantly  vindicated  me ;  as  I  had  an  opportunity  to  learn  from 
the  record  of  their  testimony  at  a  later  day. 

But  prison  life  had  made  sad  havoc  on  the  stout  frames  of  my 
men;  they  were  lodged  in  closer  cells,  had  fared  even  coarser 
than  I  had  done;  and  being  without  any  store  of  thought,  or 
occupation  of  the  mind,  the  body  had  wasted  and  wilted  away  in 
the  damps  and  heat  of  the  prison.  Two  had  already  gone  to  the 
hospital,  stricken  down  with  Java  fever,  before  the  order  came 
for  the  release  of  all ;  and  as  I  never  heard  of  those  two  again,  I 
believe  that  they  found  a  grave  on  Javan  soil. 

The  stout  Jim  was  a  woful  sight ;  that  hardy  bullet  of  a 
man,  with  rugged  face,  and  thick  muscle ;  as  I  had  seen  him  enter 
the  prison  three  months  before.  He  now  drooped  his  haggard 
face ;  he  walked  with  wavering  step ;  and  his  voice  could  barely 
be  heard ;  and  yet,  poor  fellow,  hopeful  and  stanch  to  the  last, 
proffering  words  of  cheer  and  encouragement  to  me,  that  was  so 


332  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

well.  I  would  stand  by  the  ship,  would  I  not?  The  Dutch 
would  have  their  turn,  and  we  our  "  innings,"  some  day. 

I  never  felt  the  prison  till  I  saw  my  men  go  out  of  it ;  more 
my  men  now,  since  we  had  suffered  together,  than  when  a  crew  on 
board  the  Flirt.  Great  children  they  were,  in  the  matter  of  self- 
control,  that  knew  not  their  right  hand  from  their  left,  whom  I  had 
only  known  before  at  the  cold  distance  of  command  at  sea,  to 
work  and  to  correct,  to  feed  and  to  physic  them ;  but  in  the  prison, 
the  barrier  between  the  cabin  and  the  forecastle  had  been  broken 
down ; — by  me,  and  not  by  them.  I  had  sent  them  counsel,  and 
equal  shares  of  all  the  luxuries  that  came  to  my  hand;  and  when 
free,  they  all  wished  to  stay  and  await  the  day  of  my  liberation, 
hoping  that  we  would  all  sail  in  the  good  little  Flirt  again. 

But  they  could  not  stay  ashore  in  Batavia.  No  stranger  can 
stay  in  Java  without  the  permission  of  the  Dutch  Government ; 
no  person  can  go  there  to  reside,  without  providing  two  bonds 
men,  to  be  his  security  to  a  large  amount ; '  and  as  my  sailors 
proved  to  be  of  no  value  as  witnesses,  the  Government  wanted  to 
be  rid  of  them ;  yet  would  afford  them  no  means  to  enable  them 
to  go  away,  if  they  had  wished  to  leave. 

At  this  juncture,  the  generous  young  friend  of  Americans, 
came  forward  to  take  my  men  to  his  house ;  he  had  already  taken 
two  under  his  roof;  but  the  Government  forbade  his  offering  this 
shelter  and  comfort  to  American  seamen ;  they  were  removed  by 
the  police,  and  all  my  men  were  sent  on  board  the  guard  ship. 
There  they  remained  in  a  worse  condition  than  in  prison;  they 
prayed  to  be  sent  back  to  their  cells  in  Weltevreden ;  by  and  by,  as 
they  lost  health,  and  all  hope  of  sailing  with  me  again,  they  wanted 
to  ship,  and  get  to  sea  again;  but  no  shipmaster  would  take  such 
emaciated  men ;  the  Government  would  not  pay  their  passage  to 
SingajK)re,  where  a  United  States  Consul  might  take  care  of 


VACILLATION    OP    JUDGES    AND    JAILERS.  333 

them ;  and  thus  these  men  lingered  at  Batavia ;  the  victims  of 
a  government  and  jurisprudence,  that  had  blundered  into  a  case 
they  did  not  know  how  to  dispose  of. 

There  is  no  doubt,  that  for  a  time,  the  Government  of  Nether- 
land  India,  would  have  rejoiced  to  have  got  rid  of  us,  by  our 
escaping ;  or  in  any  other  way,  that  would  make  us  appear  self- 
convicted  of  the  crime  that  they  alleged ;  whereby  the  action  of 
their  officers  at  Palembang  would  be  sustained,  and  the  Govern 
ment  would  be  relieved  from  all  liability  to  a  reclamation  for 
damages.  But  the  men  would  not  go  away ;  and  I  would  not  try 
to  escape.  Dutch  justice  stood  waiting  for  something  to  turn  up ; 
and  that  was  the  state  of  affairs  during  my  fourth  month  in 
prison. 

During  the  fifth,  a  stricter  discipline  had  tightened  upon  me, 
in  consequence  of  the  discovery  of  my  mapping  and  sketching.  I 
had  been  subjected  to  most  extraordinary  fluctuations  of  treat 
ment,  since  the  first  day  of  my  arrest.  For  a  time  in  the  fort  of 
Palembang,  I  was  guarded  by  a  sentinel,  who  had  to  watch  every 
movement  I  made ;  the  following  day  the  sentinel  paced  to  and 
fro,  and  allowed  any  person  to  speak  with  me.  On  board  the 
Arjuno,  I  was  closely  watched  to  prevent  my  attempting  suicide; 
but  allowed  to  converse  as  I  pleased ;  on  board  the  Boreas,  the 
orders  were  to  arrest  any  one,  who  attempted  to  speak  to  me ;  but 
I  had  every  opportunity  to  drown,  to  choke  myself,  or  cut  my 
throat,  which  ever  way  I  felt  inclined.  I  was  carried  in  a  van 
with  guarded  secrecy  to  Weltevreden ;  but  went  and  hunted  up  the 
Stad  prison,  in  an  open  carriage,  along  with  a  friend.  Then  there 
had  been  a  continued  tightening  and  relaxing  of  my  confinement ; 
then  a  sudden  stirring  up  of  my  judges ;  examinations  and  worry- 
ings  in  the  little  black  star  chamber ;  followed  by  a  long  dead 
calm.  The  simple  fact  was,  that  Government  and  judges  did  not 


334  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

know  what  to  do.  They  had  been  put  by  the  excess  of  zeal  and 
treachery  combined  of  their  officers  at  Puleinbang,  upon  the  high 
horse  of  treason,  "  hoofd  vcrraad"  and  did  not  know  how  to  ride 
him,  or  how  to  get  down.  A  trial  for  such  a  stately  crime,  was  a 
novelty  in  Netherland  India.  They  had  been  accustomed  to  hang 
men  at  once,  who  had  become  troublesome  to  the  Government ; 
and  then  send  a  report  of  the  matter  to  the  Hague.  They  had 
without,  any  molestation,  or  after  reclamations,  massacred  a  num 
ber  of  Englishmen  at  Amboyna ;  then,  in  the  time  of  Valckenier, 
they  had  made  a  second  St.  Bartholomew's  day  in  Batavia; 
slaughtered  in  cold  blood  ten  thousand  Chinese  men,  women,  and 
children,  without  a  shadow  of  the  excuse  of  the  Turkish  Sultan 
for  slaying  his  janissaries.  There  was  no  fear  of  reclamations  on 
the  part  of  a  Chinese  emperor,  who  can  afford  to  sell  one  hundred 
thousand  people  every  year,  to  labor  or  to  die  as  slaves. 

Thus  the  monopolists  and  taskmasters  of  these  Eastern 
islands,  had  hung  and  quartered  on  several  occasions,  without  the 
troublesome  and  expensive  inconveniences  of  a  trial;  but  there 
was  that  shadow  behind  the  Flirt,  an  ominous  shadow,  that  had 
flitted  from  time  to  time,  across  the  Archipelagian  waters;  it 
might  be  of  some  very  ferocious,  it  might  be  of  some  very  gentle, 
placable  monster,  but  evidently  one  that  could  devour  the  Archi 
pelago  in  a  trice ;  and  it  would  be  well  not  to  rouse  it,  by  de 
vouring  the  little  Flirt  and  her  people  in  too  unceremonious  a 
manner ;  and  so  they  fluctuated  between  the  fear  of  letting  me  go 
to  stir  up  disturbance  by  my  denouncing  tongue ;  and  the  fear  of 
destroying  me,  which  might  stir  up  worse. 

One  of  these  tightening  fits  had  come  over  my  jailers,  during 
the  closo  of  the  fifth  month.  I  was  denied  the  walk  in  the  yard. 
I  was  out  of  employment,  except  the  scrawling  and  sketching 


A    CHANGE    OF    EVENTS.  335 

upon  my  walls.  I  was  beginning  to  feel  the  oppression  of  my 
prison  very  much.  Hope  in  my  Government,  hope  in  friends  ; 
and  with  the  common  weakness  of  mortality,  hope  in  God  began 
to  fail.  I  felt  nothing  but  a  dark  and  dogged  resolution  to  defy 
my  jailers  to  the  last ;  but  this  dark  state,  was  that  deepening 
gloom  that  precedes  the  dawn. 

Three  stirring  events  were  about  to  break  in  upon  the  dreary 
monotony  of  my  prison  life ;  and  to  make  all  its  after  experience 
a  drama  of  intense  interest  and  strange  variety.  These  events  were, 
a  visit,  the  celebration  of  a  day,  and  the  advent  of  a  ship  of  war. 
And  as  first  in  order  of  time,  and  first  in  interest,  I  will  tell  you 
of  the  visit. 


FORTY-FIRST   DAY. 

THE   VISIT. 

IT  was  one  of  the  last  days  of  the  fifth  month  of  my  stay  in 
prison ;  and  on  the  first  day  of  July,  at  the  honr  of  noon,  the 
siesta  hour,  when  all  doors  were  locked ;  keepers  and  prisoners 
generally  were  asleep,  sentinels  were  dozing ;  and  I  was  stepping 
over  my  narrow  cell  floor,  back  and  forth,  with  unsteady  and 
clattering  footsteps  in  my  Chinese  clogs.  As  I  looked  through 
the  bars  of  my  window,  I  saw  the  grating  in  the  doorway  that 
leads  into  the  main  court,  darkened  from  time  to  time,  by  a  peer 
ing  woman's  face. 

I  was  surprised  to  see  any  one,  but  the  sentinel,  in  the  main 
court  at  that  hour ;  but  sometimes  Chuchee,  the  washerman,  or 
his  wife,  had  come  a  little  while  before  the  hour  of  admission,  and 
were  allowed,  if  a  good-natured  sentinel  was  on  guard,  to  pass  the 
outer  gate,  and  enter  the  main  court;  where  they  would  sit, 
quietly  chewing  their  siri,  or  betel  nut,  until  the  cell  doors  were 
opened  for  the  entrance  of  visitors,  and  the  attending  coolies ;  and 
this  was  now  the  case,  as  I  observed,  very  soon,  the  livid  face  of 
the  turnkey  at  the  door  of  the  court ;  and  behind  him  came  the  lank, 
shrivelled  figure  of  the  wife  of  Chuchee,  followed  by  two  young 
females,  who  carried  between  them  the  basket  of  clothes. 


GRAND-DAUGHTER   OF    PANYORANQ    OSMAN    IN    PRISON.        337 

For  a  time,  I  did  not  observe  these  helps,  who  stood  outside 
of  my  cell,  whilst  the  hideous  face  of  the  turnkey  stared  in  at  my 
door,  watching  the  old  crone,  as  she  sorted  out  my  portion  of 
clothes.  He  asked  gruffly,  who  these  women  were,  that  had  fol 
lowed  her  into  the  block ;  what  did  they  want  ?  They  were  two 
young  women,  from  the  country  near  Samarang,  staying  a  while 
in  Batavia  with  their  brother,  who  was  now  with  them ;  but  the 
guard  would  not  let  him  pass  the  outer  gate.  They  were  curious 
to  see  the  prison,  and  had  come  with  her  to  help  her ;  they  had 
good  letters  to  the  Kapalla  campong  (the  native  portion  of 
Batavia,  being  divided  into  campongs,  over  which  a  Kapalla,  or 
native  alderman,  presides);  they  were  not  nyahees;  but  people 
of  good  character ;  and  would  not  give  Tuan  Tutup,  Mister  Lock 
up,  as  the  natives  called  the  turnkey,  any  cause  for  complaint. 

The  turnkey  went  off  to  open  some  other  doors,  growling  to 
the  old  woman  as  he  turned  away,  for  her  to  clear  out  quick,  as 
he  would  be  there  in  a  minute  to  close  the  door. 

As  soon  as  he  had  turned  his  back ;  and  whilst  the  old  woman 
was  stooped  down,  arranging  the  basket,  my  doorway  was  dark 
ened  ;  I  saw  a  pleasant  face  that  I  had  seen  before ;  but  a  coarse 
dress,  hair  tied  up  in  a  common  knot,  ears,  neck,  and  arms  with 
out  ornament,  and  other  indications  of  the  coarse  toilette  of  the 
inferior  class  of  Javanese  women,  prevented  me,  for  a  time,  from 
recognizing  the  graceful  and  intelligent  grand-daughter,  the  kam- 
bing  utan,  the  antelope  of  Panyorang  Djaya  Laksana. 

Her  hand  on  her  lips,  and  an  expressive  look,  checked  some 
exclamations  of  surprise.  The  old  woman  had  arranged  her 
basket,  and  stepped  to  the  door.  The  other  person,  whom  I  had 
not  seen,  stepped  forward;  a  stout,  handsome,  matronly  young 
woman,  of  pure  Javanese  type  of  features ;  she  took  one  handle 
of  the  basket,  and  she  and  the  old  woman  moved  off;  and,  when 
15 


338  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

they  had  turned  their  backs,  I  learned  from  a  few  words  rapidly 
uttered  by  the  remaining  one,  that  after  my  arrest,  the  Pan- 
yorang  had  felt  great  distress  about  me ;  but  he  had  believed  that 
I  was  betuah,  invulnerable,  that  the  Dutch  satans  could  not  hurt 
me ;  he  wanted  to  help,  but  Allah  only  could  help ;  he  had  prayed 
to  Allah ;  then  Wirojoyo  came,  and  took  his  daughter  back  to 
Cheribon;  the  Panyorang  said,  to  send  him  much  news  of  the 
American  tuan,  when  in  Java.  Wirojoyo  had  come  to  Batavia ; 
his  two  daughters  and  a  son  with  him ;  they  had  heard  of  the 
American  tuan  in  the  house  of  care ;  they  wanted  to  see  him,  but 
were  afraid ;  every  body  spoke  with  little  hearts  about  the  Tuan ; 
afraid  of  the  Company.  Wirojoyo  was  afraid  to  ask  at  the  gate ; 
he  and  his  daughters  had  often  passed  by,  and  looked  sadly  at  the 
prison  walls ;  they  spoke  with  an  old  woman  that  came  out ;  she 
saw  the  American  tuan,  she  washed  for  him;  they  then  put 
on  dress  like  little  people,  affected  poverty ;  and  made  friendly 
face  to  the  old  woman;  they  pretended  also  to  have  big 
eyes;  curiosity  to  see  the  house  of  care;  and  offered  to  help; 
their  hearts  were  very  little,  trembling  with  fear,  as  they  passed 
the  gate,  and  saw  the  fierce  soldiers,  like  tigers ;  but  Allah  was 
good,  and  great  indeed,  they  had  seen  the  American  tuan ;  and 
the  Panyorang  would  have  heart  joy,  so  much,  so  much,  to  know 
that  Tuan  was  well.  Papa  Wirojoyo  would  help  the  Tuan ;  and 
what  could  Sayeepa,  and  her  sister  and  brother  do  ? 

I  had  begun  to  speak  in  reply,  when  I  heard  the  beast  voice 
of  the  turnkey  calling  out  some  offensive  words  to  my  visitor ; 
she  started  with  affright,  and  fled;  he  rushed  forward,  and 
Beized  the  terrified  young  woman.  I  had  reached  him,  almost  as 
Boon  as  he  had  laid  hands  upon  her ;  and  yet  I  found  hands  upon 
him,  even  quicker  than  mine.  The  Baron  seized  the  ex-dragoon 
by  his  shaggy  hair,  applied  his  foot  to  his  back,  and  laid  the 


PRISONERS    rUNISIIING    A    TURNKEY.  339 

brutal  turnkey  sprawling  in  the  court-yard,  whilst  my  visitor  fled, 
with  her  sister,  out  of  prison. 

The  outcry  of  the  belabored  Tutup,  roused  the  prison  from 
its  noonday  torpor ;  the  stolid  sentinel  having  no  orders  to  inter 
pose,  or  shoot  any  body,  looked  on  the  scene  with  quiet  glee.  The 
jailer  appeared ;  and  listened  to  the  groans  and  charges  of  his 
lugubrious  subordinate. 

Mynheer  Pieters  seemed  to  think  that  Baron  Van  Norden  had 
carried  his  audacity,  and  his  presumption  upon  judicial  and 
governmental  favor  too  far.  The  American  Captain  had  no  favor 
to  presume  upon ;  and  he  had  taken  a  step  that  would  qualify 
him  for  irons  and  a  close  cell  in  one  of  the  back  blocks.  Mynheer 
Pieters  was  determined  to  know  if  he  was  the  jailer,  or  a  prisoner; 
also  if  the  Baron  had  received  the  commission  to  hold  the  keys 
of  Weltevreden.  He  would  have  this  question  decided  at  once 
by  Mynheer  Van  Rees,  the  Resident  of  Batavia. 

The  turnkey  slunk  away;  and  the  jailer  bustled  off  to  the 
Stadhuis  to  make  his  report,  leaving  myself  and  the  Baron  at 
liberty  in  the  court-yard. 

The  Baron  laughed  heartily  for  a  time ; — then  spoke  somewhat 
seriously.  It  was  lucky  for  us,  that  these  brutes  did  not  have 
supreme  control  of  the  jail ;  but  were  obliged  to  get  the  orders 
of  the  Resident  before  making  a  change  in  the  condition  of  a  pri 
soner  ;  were  it  not  so,  this  old  adjutant  and  dragoon  would  give 
us  irons,  the  bastinado,  and  the  close  jug  very  frequently. 

This  is  probably  one  of  the  most  loosely  managed  prisons  in 
the  world.  The  Resident,  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  city,  has, 
according  to  law,  the  chief  direction  of  it.  But  the  attorney- 
general  has  an  influence  superior  to  him ;  and  the  jailer  would  not 
venture  to  liberate  a  prisoner,  even  with  an  order  from  the  High 
Court  in  the  hands  of  the  Sheriff,  unless  he  had  a  private  note 


340  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

from  the  chief  prosecutor  that  all  was  right.  The  Court  of 
Justice  or  Low  Court  of  Batavia,  has  something  to  do  with  the 
payment  of  Pieters ;  and,  of  course,  he  must  pay  court  to  that 
important  branch  of  his  patrons. 

The  result  is,  that  you  see  almost  as  many  different  prison- 
treatments  as  there  are  prisoners.  One  has  friends,  and  another  one 
has  enemies,  who  have  influence  with  one  or  more  of  these  patrons; 
and  his  condition  varies  accordingly;  and  then  he  sometimes 
has  a  friend  in  one  court,  and  an  enemy  in  another,  and  he  fluc 
tuates  as  you  have  done,  between  a  close  cell,  bad  fare,  and  ugly 
looks ;  and  an  open  court,  with  promenades,  and  a  good  deal  of 
smiling  obsequiousness.  Several  men  have  been  driven  to  despair 
and  strychnine ;  and  others  have  gone  mad  with  license  and  de 
bauch  within  these  prison  walls;  just  according  as  he  stood  per 
sonally  with  Government  or  Justiciary.  By  the  way,  this  place 
has  rather  a  singular  name :  on  this  site  once  -stood  the  villa  of  a 
burgher  of  the  time  of  Van  Imhoff — Weltevreden  signifies  good 
comfort,  or  contentment,  in  Dutch. 

But  let  us  turn  to  a  pleasanter  theme  than  the  Prison 
of  "VVeltevreden.  I  was  struck  with  the  graceful  appearance 
of  those  two  young  women,  who  came  with  your  washerwoman  to 
day  ;  especially  the  one  who  stopped  behind  to  talk  with  you. 
Though  dressed  like  the  nyahees  of  soldiers,  they  looked  more 
like  fitting  inmates  for  the  kraton  of  the  emperor  of  Surakerta, 
than  for  this  prison.  Relatives  of  that  old  woman,  from  the  in 
terior  near  Bogor ;  perhaps  so ;  but  I  doubt  it ;  and  the  smaller 
one  looks  half  Malay,  and  of  a  type  I  have  seen  in  the  Pas- 
sumah. 

Now,  what  training  of  Europe  could  give  greater  style,  more 
dignity  of  bearing,  and  ease  of  movement ;  and  such  a  graceful 
adjustment  of  a  coarse  dress,  as  these  two  young  women  exhibit; 


GRACE    AND    BEAUTY    IN    THE    ARCHIPELAGO.  341 

and  as  you  see  in  almost  every  woman  in  Sumatra  and  Java,  that 
is  elevated  above  the  common  coolie  class.  They  are  equal  to  the 
finest  standard  of  European  aristocracy  in  person  and  habits. 
They  are  not  more  remarkable  for  their  grace  and  elegance,  than 
for  their  cleanliness ;  in  one  particular  especially ;  the  right  hand 
which  is  used  for  eating,  for  saluting,  and  for  embroidering  flowers 
on  their  fine  clothes,  is  never  allowed  to  touch  a  vessel,  or  raw  food 
in  cooking,  or  any  other  defilement;  but  is  preserved  by  the 
Javanese  woman,  as  sacredly  cleanly  as  a  sacramental  chalice. 

These  two  are  evidently  of  a  higher  race,  than  their  dress 
would  indicate;  but  such  disguisements  are  the  common  practice 
of  every  native  woman  of  any  quality  above  the  lowest  class. 
Any  comeliness  of  person,  or  elegance  of  garments  would  expose 
her  at  once  to  deliberate,  open  brutalities  by  our  civilized 
brethren ;  against  which  the  Malay  or  Javanese  woman  has  no 
protection,  but  her  own  personal  courage,  and  nerve  to  use 
pointed  steel;  which,  by  the  way,  is  common  enough,  and  saves 
them  to  a  great  extent  from  one  universal  assault  upon  their  vir 
tue;  for  which  Netherland  India  law  affords  not  a  shadow  of 
protection. 

This  oriental  grace,  and  symmetry  of  person,  I  have  spoken  of, 
is  certainly  not  monopolized  by  the  women  of  the  Archipelago ; 
there  are  the  same  fine  moulded  limbs  on  the  banks  of  the  Indus ; 
but  nowhere  in  Continental  India,  or  in  all  Asia,  will  you  meet 
with  such  courtly  grace ;  and  nowhere,  except  among  the  better 
classes  of  the  European  race,  can  you  meet  with  such  goodness  of 
temper,  such  fidelity,  vivacity,  and  domestic  affection.  They  will 
at  times  show  great  violence  of  temper ;  but  chiefly  on  account 
of  jealousy,  and  they  are  quickly  appeased; — it  maybe  said  also 
against  them,  that  they  readily  form  new  attachments;  but  they 
are  devoted  to  their  actual  husband  or  lover ;  and  are  ever  ready 


342  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

to  make  all  those  sacrifices  for  the  man  they  love,  which  are  only 
heard  of  in  works  of  romance  in  Europe. 

The  Javanese  women,  in  particular,  make  the  best  of  wives, 
for  men  who  do  not  require  any  very  intellectual  companionship, 
which  is  the  case  with  the  most  of  our  Dutchmen ;  and  I  should 
judge  such  to  be  the  case  with  the  rest  of  the  European  race ;  as 
I  think  I  am  safe  in  saying  that  of  nearly  every  one,  the  exception  is 
a  rarity  I  have  not  yet  met  with ;  and  so  I  will  say,  every  Dutch, 
English,  and  American  trader,  who  has  come  here  in  his  youth  to 
amass  a  fortune  out  of  coffee  and  pepper  has,  during  his  early 
struggles,  found  a  devoted  friend  in  a  faithful  Javanese  woman. 

Intelligent  ladies  of  Europe  wonder  at  this  preference  of  the 
society  of  simple,  half  civilized  creatures,  as  they  think,  to  their 
more  elevated  companionship ;  but  there  is  no  cause  for  wonder 
in  a  knowledge  of  the  facts.  The  Javanese  woman  has  no  caprice, 
no  weak  nerves,  no  pride  of  family,  no  exactions  of  any  thing, 
especially  due  to  her  wealth,  connection,  or  any  thing  else ;  no  flirta 
tions,  no  intrigues,  so  common  among  our  European  women  here ; 
she  is  the  devoted  slave ;  yet  pleasant,  talkative,  witty,  cheering 
companion  of  him  she  loves ;  and  how  does  the  European  trader 
repay  this  sacrifice  of  self,  this  devotion  to  him  ? 

After  that  the  trader,  who  has  formed  these  relations,  has  ac 
cumulated  a  fortune,  he  is  then  generally  of  a  mature  age ;  he 
is  ambitious  to  make  a  display  in  the  home  country ;  he  wants  a 
position  there,  a  wife  that  will  grace  his  fortune.  But  what  is  to 
be  done  with  the  faithful  friend,  and  mother  of  many  Creole  chil 
dren  ?  She  is  provided  for  as  a  mad  woman  in  this  prison ;  or,  she 
is  furnished  with  a  servant's  half  pay ;  and  her  children  grow  up  out 
of  the  pale  of  Christianity  in  the  campongs ;  now  this  is  true  of 
nearly  all,  and  many  of  your  own  countrymen  among  the  number, 
that  have  made  fortunes  in  Java ;  I  have  seen  their  Creole  children 


HEARTLESSNESS  OF  EUROPEAN  FATHERS.         343 

playing  among  the  Mahometans ;  whilst  the  Christian  father  is 
receiving  honors  with  his  new  bride  at  home.  Do  you  wonder, 
then,  that  the  Creole  of  these  islands  should  hate  and  curse  the 
race  of  his  father  ? 

Sometimes  a  soldier  commits  a  foolish  piece  of  justice ;  when 
promoted,  and  retiring  on  half  pay,  he  will  marry  the  faithful 
companion  of  his  marches,  and  the  mother  of  his  children, 
though  become  old  and  ugly.  I  have  many  stains  on  my  soul ; 
I  have  led  but  a  useless  life ;  and  am  now  in  the  condition  of  a  de 
graded  felon ;  but  it  seems  to  me,  that  it  would  require  a  much 
greater  experience  of  evil, — a  more  thorough  hardening  of  heart, 
than  any  known  to  my  soldier  life :  and  I  should  need  the  soci 
ety  of  some  devils  to  keep  me  in  countenance,  before  I  could 
put  a  good  face  upon  the  heartless  abandonment  so  commonly 
committed  by  European  traders  in  the  East. 

The  lady  of  the  Elder  Missionary  remarked  on  this  occasion, 
that  she  had  heard  such  a  statement  confirmed  in  every  particular, 
during  her  stay  in  Batavia. 


FORTY-SECOND  DAY. 

SABBATH  ON  BOARD  THE  PALMER. 


FORTY-THIRD  DAY. 

THE  Baron  had  become  engaged  in  the  discussion  of  another 
subject ;  we  heard  the  rattle  of  wheels ;  saw  in  the  court,  the  run 
ning  to  and  fro  of  oppassers  with  long  scarlet  kabyahs,  leather 
belts  and  sabres;  and  the  usual  accompaniments  of  an  official 
visit.  The  Baron  stood  with  arms  akimbo,  in  posture  of  defiance, 
expecting  the  Resident  or  Fiskaal;  but  another  man  appeared, 
the  good-hearted  young  judge ;  and  the  Baron  lowered  his  arms 
and  assumed  a  more  courteous  attitude. 

This  judge  was  now  the  examining  commissary,  in  the  place 
of  the  one  who  had  so  harshly  dealt  with  me.  It  had  become  his 
duty  to  hear  the  complaints  made  by  prisoners,  or  made  against 
them  ;  he  had  heard  some  very  strong  charges  against  us,  from 
the  jailer ;  and  now  had  come  to  hear  us  speak  for  ourselves. 

The  Baron,  as  usual,  was  chief  spokesman ;  he  could  make  a 
good  speech  in  the  vernacular  of  Amsterdam,  Rotterdam  and 
Dort.  He  put  forth  more  defence  for  me  than  for  himself;  he 
expressed  some  indignation  that  a  stranger  and  a  gentleman  should 
be  subjected  to  the  brutalities  of  speech  and  behavior  of  the 
villainous  old  lancer,  who  opened  and  shut  the  doors.  His  speech 
told  better  than  the  explanations  of  the  jailer  or  the  turnkey. 
In  the  midst  of  the  pleadings  and  contention,  the  young  friend 


CHINESE    SUPERSTITION    ABOUT    ECLIPSES.  345 

of  Americans  appeared ;  came  apparently  by  accident,  to  pay 
a  visit  to  me ;  but  had  been  led  to  do  so  on  account  of  having 
heard  of  the  prison  visit  of  his  kinsman,  the  judge.  This  power 
ful  advocate  gave  such  an  explanation  of  his  knowledge  of  my 
habits  and  occupations,  as  completely  turned  the  fluctuating  tide 
of  judicial  favor  in  our  behalf. 

The  judge  sat  down  with  his  relative  in  my  cell ;  and  spoke 
with  me  in  friendly  tone.  He  had  been  greatly  amused  on  being 
let  into  the  secret  of  my  machine  making ;  but  this  was  not  in 
my  presence,  nor  supposed  to  be  known  to  me.  His  voice  had 
always  been  in  my  favor,  in  all  the  deliberations  of  his  court  upon 
my  case,  but  his  favorable  opinion  had  been  hitherto  based  on  the 
belief,  that  there  were  no  sufficient  grounds  for  the  prosecution  to 
go  to  work  upon.  He  would  now  give  the  matter  a  closer  inves 
tigation  after  this  personal  acquaintance  with  the  principal  de 
fendant.  He  went  away,  after  giving  order  to  the  jailer,  to  allow 
me  all  the  privileges  of  the  most  favored  prisoner ;  a  promenade  in 
the  main  court,  morning  and  evening ;  and  to  allow  the  free  in 
gress  of  visitors  to  see  me. 

That  evening  was  a  season  of  holiday  for  myself  and  the 
Baron.  It  was  an  evening  marked,  also,  by  a  total  eclipse  of  the 
moon,  and  a  peculiar  exhibition  of  the  superstition  of  the  Chinese. 
As  the  white  disc  became  broken  by  the  dark  shadow,  we  heard  a 
confused  clamor  of  bells,  drums,  gongs,  kettles,  and  hideous 
human  voices ;  the  bedlam  roar  rose  up  higher  from  the  campongs, 
that  surrounded  the  prison,  as  the  bloody  shadow  increased;  and 
when  the  fair  moon  was  completely  engulfed  in  the  jaws  of  the 
celestial  monster  of  Chinese  imagination,  the  calm,  starry  night 
was  made  frantic  with  a  tempest  of  unearthly  roars,  shrieks,  and 
a  warring  clangor  of  every  harsh,  loud  sounding  thing. 

Stupid  people ; — said  the  Dyak  pirate,  as  he  entered  our  block 
15* 


346  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

with  lamps  for  the  night.  Yes,  observed  the  Baron,  these  China 
men,  who  are  the  shrewdest  business  men  in  the  world,  for  we 
have  scores  of  them  in  Batavia,  who  have  accumulated  many 
millions  of  guilders,  are  certainly  among  the  most  stupid  speci 
mens  of  humanity ;  and  are  even  looked  upon  with  contempt  by 
this  savage  Dyak.  These  yells,  to  scare  the  monster  away  from 
the  moon,  are  on  a  par  of  good  sense  with  their  writing  prayers 
on  gilt  paper,  and  burning  them  in  the  belief,  that  the  written  re 
quest  will  reach  heaven  in  smoke.  What  a  small  amount  of 
brains  is  needed  to  make  a  nation  of  good  traders. 

Among  other  privileges  obtained  by  the  intercession  of  my 
young  friend,  was  permission  for  Pirez  to  remain  one  month  ashore, 
to  call  upon  me  morning  and  afternoon,  and  discharge  little  com 
missions  for  me  in  the  city.  My  faitiiful  savage  was  overjoyed  to 
wait  upon  me  once  more ;  he  had  grown  fat  on  prison  fare  and 
prison  discipline  ;  and  he  and  myself,  the  highest  and  lowest  of 
the  Flirt's  company;  the  chief  thinker,  and  the  one  of  no  thought 
at  all,  had  borne  prison  life  the  best ;  but  the  black  tough  skin 
and  sleepy  head,  had  borne  it  better  than  philosophy. 

On  the  third  morning  after  being  allowed  the  liberty  of  the 
prison,  Pirez  appeared  at  my  cell  door  with  a  rather  extraordi 
nary  appearance  of  increased  bulk  of  body ;  he  gave  me  to  under 
stand,  that  he  had  something  very  curious  to  show  me,  by  and 
by.  He  spoke  with  the  huge  Dyak,  who  came  with  the  break 
fast.  Pirez  had,  from  his  first  entrance  as  a  prisoner,  been  a 
noted  character  in  the  jail ;  and  was  now  intimate  and  on  good 
terms  with  all  its  officials.  I  had  made  several  little  distribu 
tions  of  presents  to  the  iron  collared  convicts ;  and  they  made  a 
return  of  good  will  to  my  man. 

He  was  active  and  mysterious  this  morning ;  and  the  gleeful 
Baron  seemed  to  have  some  knowledge  of  the  object  of  his  ma- 


CELEBRATION  OF  THE  FOURTH  OF  JULY.         347 

noeuvres.  When  the  breakfast  had  been  served,  and  the  turnkey 
had  retired  to  his  room,  I  saw  Pirez  watching  intently  at  the 
egress  of  the  drain  under  the  wall ;  where  the  Baron  had  sought 
his  invigorating  staff  of  life.  The  grating  that  had  partially 
blocked  it  up,  had  been  removed  from  the  other  side.  Once  more  a 
bamboo  appeared ;  but  this  one  was  six  inches  in  diameter ;  it  was 
pushed  through  the  opening,  and  as  some  one  shoved  on  the  end 
without,  Pirez  hauled  on  his  inside ;  till  he  drew  forth  some  forty 
odd  feet  of  bamboo,  almost  the  length  of  our  small  court. 
This  surely  was  not  a  mammoth  brandy  bottle. 

Pirez  lashed  a  small  ring  to  the  end  of  this  spar;  then 
uncoiled  a  small  cord  from  round  his  waist,  that  had  been  hidden 
by  his  dress ;  he  rove  this  cord  through  the  ring,  like  signal  hal 
yards  ;  and  then  the  stalwart  boatman  of  Pernambuco  reared  up 
the  pole  against  a  ketapan,  a  species  of  almond  tree  that  grew 
in  the  centre  of  our  court ;  he  quickly  mounted  the  tree,  and 
with  the  help  of  the  Baron  at  the  foot,  he  drew  up  the  pole,  so 
that  it  overtopped  the  ketapan  some  twenty  feet  clear ;  and  with 
the  butt  resting  in  a  crotch,  there  made  it  well  and  fast,  and  then 
slid  down. 

I  was  astounded  and  mystified  with  these  preparations. 
Pirez  entered  my  cell ;  he  seemed  to  be  in  agony  with  the  encum 
brance  of  a  great  superfluity  of  clothing ;  he  removed  a  thin, 
loose,  jacket ;  and  showed  folds  of  red  and  white  stuff  wrapped 
around  his  chest  and  waist ;  he  uncoiled,  and  I  beheld  stripes, 
then  stars ;  I  recognized  the  ensign  of  the  Flirt ;  and  this  was  the 
Fourth  of  July. 

THE  CELEBRATION. 

One  of  the  sailors  of  the  Pylades,  left  on  board  the  Flirt,  to 
guard  her,  had  saved  the  ensign  from  the  water,  after  being  torn 


348  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

from  the  staff  and  cast  overboard  by  the  commander  of  the  gun- 
brig.  The  sailor  had  made  use  of  the  flag  in  his  hammock ;  it  had 
served  as  curtain,  coverlet,  and  other  useful  purposes  to  this 
Dutchman,  for  many  days,  till  passing  from  ship  to  ship,  he  was 
drafted  on  board  the  Boreas,  about  the  time  that  my  men  returned 
from  Weltevreden.  They  heard  of  their  old  banner  ;  they  resolved 
to  rescue  it,  at  all  hazards ;  but  no  great  sacrifices  were  needed. 
The  Dutchman  was  willing  to  sell  it  for  thirty  rupees. 

Poor  fellows,  they  had  not  so  much  money  among  them ;  not 
six  dollars  in  cash  at  the  time : — but,  one  parting  with  a  finger  ring, 
another  with  a  fancy  tobacco-box,  and  one  Brazilian  with  a  pair 
of  ear-rings ;  they  made  up  the  requisite  sum,  and  purchased  the 
flag ; — they  recovered,  as  they  felt,  some  of  the  honor  of  their  noble 
little  ship ;  a  signal  to  them  of  an  ultimate  retribution  upon  their 
oppressors.  The  flag  of  America,  that  had  been  vilely  treated  by 
the  Dutch  and  sold  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  was  to  be  elevated 
on  the  soil  of  Java. 

My  men  had  hoped  to  surprise  me  with  a  display  of  the  flag 
at  some  future  day.  Fourth  of  July  approached ;  they  saw  Pirez, 
and  heard  of  his  permission  to  visit  me.  It  occurred  to  their 
minds,  that  it  would  be  a  treat  to  me,  to  learn  of  its  recovery  on 
that  day.  The  still  feeble  Jim  suggested  a  bold  idea  to  Pirez, 
who  was  eager  to  carry  it  out ;  he  had  spoken  with  the  Dyak,  who 
had  passed  through  the  drain  the  bamboo,  used  as  a  scantling  in 
some  repairs  on  the  house  of  the  jailer ;  and  he  wanted  to  run  up 
the  flag,  if  only  for  one  minute,  to  wave  a  defiance  to  Dutchmen. 

This  was  an  extravagant  feat ;  it  seems  so,  to  think  of  now ; 
an  unwise  kind  of  bravado,  well  calculated  to  compromise  me, — 
to  H^irnivate  my  situation.  But  I  did  not  take  that  view  of  the 
mutter  in  prison.  I  was  highly  gratified  at  the  sight  of  the  flag; 
it  seemed  a  precursor  of  hope,  of  far  off  hopes,  lying  beyond  those 


-f- 


AMERICAN    FLAG   HOISTED    IN    JAVA.  349 

prison  walls.  I  wanted  just  one  moment's  exultation,  one  thrill 
of  triumph,  to  relieve  the  stagnation  of  my  heart ;  and  so  I  re 
solved,  at  all  hazards,  to  raise  up  that  flag  above  the  walls  of  the 
prison  of  Weltevreden. 

Pirez  only  needed  a  look,  to  bend  the  ensign  on  to  the  hal 
yards  ;  not  with  him  for  the  gratification  of  any  Fourth  of  July 
glorification ;  he  knew  nothing  about  it ;  he  thought  only  of  the 
chance  for  a  crow  over  the  beer-drinking  burghers  of  Batavia ; 
he  had  learned  to  feel  with  his  shipmates,  that  a  Dutchman  was 
a  good  butt  for  game,  in  peace  or  war.  The  stars  and  stripes  ran 
up  the  bamboo ;  floated  above  the  ketapan  tree,  and  many  feet 
above  the  highest  wall  of  Weltevreden. 

There  they  floated,  full  one  hour,  from  8  o'clock  till  9  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  in  sight  of  thousands  of  the  troops  of  the  sur 
rounding  barracks,  and  of  the  people  of  Batavia,  assembled  in 
Waterloo  plain.  The  jailer  had  gone  to  the  Resident  to  make 
his  usual  morning  report ;  the  turnkey  had  been  tampered  with 
by  the  Baron,  with  a  portion  of  a  smuggled  bottle  of  liquor,  and 
he  had  retired  to  one  of  the  back  wards,  to  attend  to  some  espe 
cial  duty ;  so  as  not  to  be  supposed  to  have  known  any  thing  of 
what  had  taken  place ;  and  the  stolid  sentinel,  who  generally  had 
no  other  idea  of  the  object  of  his  presence  in  prison,  except 
to  shoot  down  any  one  attempting  to  escape,  stared  lazily  at  the 
floating  bunting.  The  officers  and  soldiers  in  the  barracks,  and 
the  people  in  the  plain,  stared  in  stupid  wonderment ;  they  could 
not  make  up  their  minds  as  to  what  it  all  meant ;  and  no  one 
seemed  moved  to  endeavor  to  find  out. 

I  could  observe  from  my  rear  grating  the  road  by  which  the 
jailer  returned ;  and  the  way  to  the  government  palace.  A  crowd 
began  to  assemble  in  the  marsh,  the  field  of  execution;  an  order 
ly  was  seen  to  gallop  across  the  plain.  I  heard  the  turn,  out  of 


350  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

the  guard  at  the  main  gate  to  receive  an  officer ;  and  at  the  same 
time  saw  Mynheer  Pieters  coursing  at  a  furious  pace  towards  the 
prison. 

It  was  time  to  think  of  a  capitulation ;  the  flag  was  hauled 
down,  and  rapidly  disposed  again  around  the  body  of  Pirez.  Tu- 
tup  came  into  our  court,  demanding,  with  feigned  fury,  the  hauling 
down  of  the  vanished  flag ;  at  the  same  time  the  jailer  appeared. 
Some  military  officers  entered  along  with  him ;  a  number  of  curi 
ous  people  had  slipped  in  amid  the  excitement  at  the  gate ;  and 
our  little  court  was  crowded,  when  the  good  judge  commissary 
appeared. 

The  Baron  met  his  comrades  in  arms,  and  I  the  judge.  The 
former  were  soon  persuaded  out  of  their  indignation,  and  became 
disposed  to  laugh  at  the  celebration  of  the  American  great  day 
of  Independence  in  prison.  The  latter  was  sorry;  the  matter 
would  compromise  him,  on  account  of  the  relaxation  he  had  or 
dered.  He  would  probably  be  compelled  to  have  me  placed  in 
much  closer  confinement ;  and  to  prohibit  all  further  visits  to  my 
cell,  without  special  permission  from  himself. 

But  where  was  the  flag  ?  It  certainly  should  never  be  hoisted 
again  on  the. soil  of  Java.  It  was  not  in  my  cell;  nor  in  that  of 
the  Baron ;  nor  in  any  other  in  our  block.  Four  oppassers  were 
ordered  to  make  immediate  search ;  as  they  ransacked  our  mat 
tresses  and  trunks,  some  one,  probably  the  spying  trader,  had 
spoken  of  Pirez ;  he  had  brought  it,  and  he  had  taken  it  away ; 
but  where  was  he  ?  Gone,  upon  the  opening  of  the  court  gate  by 
the  turnkey.  An  orderly  is  quickly  in  his  saddle,  and  coursing 
over  the  plain  towards  the  house  of  the  young  friend  of  Ameri 
cans. 

The  judge  left,  after  stating  that  the  subject  of  a  greater  re 
striction^  of  my  confinement,  would  necessarily  have  to  be  laid 


THE   FLAG    SAFELY    STOWED    AWAY.  351 

before  the  Court,  the  second  day  after  this,  their  next  regular  day 
of  meeting ;  and  he  regretted  what  he  knew  must  inevitably  be 
the  consequence.  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  several  cavalry  and 
infantry  officers,  who  were  not  at  all  displeased  at  this  frolic  of 
the  flag,  by  the  alleged  ally  of  Perdano  Mantri  and  the  Sultan 
of  Jambee,  which  would  be  told  at  the  expense  of  De  Brauw. 

The  orderly  galloped  in  vain  after  Pirez ;  the  faithful  fellow 
had  counted  upon  a  quick  and  hot  pursuit,  and  a  close  search. 
He  was  not  long  in  reaching  the  house  of  his  patron ;  he  had 
became  familiar,  as  a  prying  monkey,  with  all  its  out  of  the  way 
nooks  and  corners ;  the  flag  was  soon  stowed  away,  and  when  the 
orderly  arrived,  my  cabin  boy  stood  ready  at  the  gate,  to  hold  the 
horse  of  the  trooper.  Pirez  was  a  simple,  honest  fellow,  but  he 
possessed  the  instincts  of  stratagem  of  the  savage,  and  at  the 
same  time,  greater  coolness,  than  his  whiter  shipmates. 

The  flag  was  sought  for  in  vain ;  that  day  and  many  more ; 
and  was  not  disturbed  in  its  hiding-place,  till  some  months  after 
wards.  Pirez  took  it,  according  to  my  directions,  to  place  it  in 
the  hands  of  an  Australian  gentleman ;  a  warm  friend  to  me ;  of 
America  5  and  a  friend  to  the  greater  extension  of  American  in 
fluence  in  the  East  Indian  Archipelago. 


A    REMOVAL. 


The  Court  held  its  deliberation  on  the  sixth  day  of  July.  I 
was  led  to  suppose  from  the  remarks  of  the  judge  commissary, 
and  from  some  rumors  from  without,  that  I  might  expect  to  be 
removed  to  a  cell  by  myself;  probably  in  the  Stad  Prison  again. 
I  passed  the  evening  of  that  day  in  a  state  of  unpleasant  sus 
pense,  but  the  day  went  by  and  the  morning  of  another  day  came, 
and  still  no  change. 

About  noon  of  this  day,  the  fussy,  little  red-faced  jaifbr,  came 


352  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

into  our  court.  lie  had  an  order  for  my  removal ;  and  where  ? 
I  never  would  go  back  to  that  Stad  Prison,  unless  dragged  there 
by  force.  The  little  jailer  laughed ;  he  had  no  orders  to  Bend 
me  to  the  Stad;  coolies  were  now  preparing  an  apartment,  in 
near  neighborship  with  him.  I  was  to  be  removed  from  the  bad 
company  of  my  block,  and  placed  in  a  commodious  room  in  the 
(U'l)tors'  ward;  where  I  would  have  the  free  range  of  a  court, 
and  could  see  as  much  company  at  certain  hours,  as  I  pleased. 

What  was  the  meaning  of  this  ?  Mynheer  Pieters  could  not 
explain.  The  Baron  and  myself  were  confounded;  but  I  was 
not  backward  in  accepting  of  the  new  lodgings.  I  had  not  much 
to  pack  up.  I  turned  with  pleasant  musing  to  take  a  last  look 
at  my  labors  on  the  walls.  The  Baron  presumed  that  the  Ameri 
cans  had  taken  Java ;  or  that  my  steam  washing-machine  had 
been  cleansing  the  eyes  of  the  Governor  General ;  or  the  Sultan  of 
Jainbee  had  made  some  powerful  demonstration  in  behalf  of  his 
ally.  Whatever  tho-  influence,  I  was  certainly  in  luck.  I  must 
not  feel  elevated  above  the  ragamuffin  society  of  block  No.  4.  I 
would  find  Baron  van  Norden  always  the  same ;  and  Uiubah 
should  come  and  study  Arabic  and  English,  the  Bible  or  Koran; 
and  poetry  or  treason,  with  her  uncle  captain  ;  as  much  as  he 
pleased. 

I  took  possession  of  a  fine  establishment;  the  best  in  the 
prison ;  a  room  about  fourteen  feet  long,  by  twelve  wide ;  a  tile 
floor,  but  not  quite  so  damp  as  the  apartment  I  had  just  left.  I 
had  a  good  strong  iron  bedstead,  a  small  teak  table,  two  split 
bamboo  chairs,  and  a  wash  bowl.  I  certainly  felt  rich,  as  I 
tried  the  luxury  of  a  seat  with  a  back  to  it.  I  sat  down  in  one 
chair,  and  put  my  feet  on  the  other ;  and  leaning  back  complacent 
ly,  surveyed  my  enlarged  domain  and  newly  acquired  possessions. 

I  was  musing  upon  the  probable  causes  of  this  change.     The 


CAUSE    OF    REMOVAL.  353 

grandson  of  the  marshal  of  Napoleon  had  given  one  of  the 
judges  an  interest  in  the  brick  machine.  There  was  a  speculat 
ing  judge  in  the  Court  of  Justice  of  Batavia;  he  had  a  friend 
in  whose  affairs  he  was  pecuniarily  interested,  who  was  about  to 
import  a  large  quantity  of  water-coolers  from  Boston.  It  had 
been  whispered  by  my  young  friend,  that  I  could  make  something ; 
a  double  case  with  space  between,  and  a  lamp  furnace  on  top, 
to  produce  a  strong  evaporation : — a  great  improvement  on  the  Bos- 
tonian  article. 

Severity  was  calculated  to  cool  down  invention ;  a  little  relax 
ation  would  thaw  it  into  most  successful  development.  The 
Resident  of  Palembang,  the  Mulatto  of  Surinam,  and  other 
zealous  anti- Americans,  were  probably  satisfied  with  my  being 
five  months  in  jail.  The  Court  and  Government  must  be  easing  off; 
by  and  by,  I  would  be  lodged  in  the  house  of  Mynheer  Pieters ; 
and  when  I  had  got  very  tired  of  the  climate  of  Java,  I  might 
run  off  at  my  leisure ;  some  afternoon  when  the  jailer,  judges  and 
Governor  General  were  at  dinner,  and  not  expected  to  see  me.  In 
the  midst  of  my  musings  I  thought  I  heard  the  boom  of  a  gun ; 
then  more;  thirteen  quite  quick,  with  American  rapidity ;  followed 
by  thirteen  rather  slower  booms  from  the  Dutch  fort. 

Whilst  musing  upon  the  cause  of  this  cannonade,  a  panting 
messenger,  a  servant  of  the  young  friend  of  Americans,  enters 
the  debtors'  ward ;  he  has  a  note  in  his  hand,  which  Mynheer  Pie 
ters  takes,  and  hands  to  me  with  great  suavity  of  manner.  It 
had  not  been  read  more  than  five  minutes,  when  another  mes 
senger  arrived,  the  servant  of  the  friend  who  took  charge  of  the 
flag ;  the  note  of  this  one  was  still  in  my  hand,  when  the  servant 
of  him,  with  whom  I  had  dined  on  leaving  prison,  came  with  a 
third  note ;  and  all  three  said,  "  An  American  man-of-war  was 


354  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

signalized  in  the  offing  this  morning  at  10  o'clock,  and  proves  to 
be  the  sloop  of  war,  St.  Mary's." 

ARRIVAL    OF    AN    AMERICAN   MAN-OF-1VAK. 

The  stars  and  stripes  hoisted  above  the  walls  of  Weltevrcden, 
were  about  to  put  me  into  some  close  felon's  cell ;  but  the  stars 
and  stripes,  floating  above  twenty-eight  long,  heavy  paixhans, 
had  procured  me  an  improvement  in  my  lodgings.  Had  I  heard 
those  cannon  an  hour  earlier,  I  should  not  have  moved.  It  might 
have  been  interesting,  to  the  commander  of  an  American  ship  of 
war,  to  have  seen  how  the  authorities  of  Netherland  India  were 
disposed  to  lodge  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  suspected  of 
having  done  something,  when  they  were  not  influenced  by  the 
approach  and  presence  of  that  man-of-war. 

I  heard  all  the  circumstances  connected  with  the  arrival  of 
the  St.  Mary's;  the  coming  ashore  of  the  Commander  and  iirst 
lieutenant ;  and  many  little  particulars  of  their  conversation  at 
the  hotel  where  they  put  up,  from  the  polite  Mynheer  Pieters. 

The  Commander  and  first  lieutenant  came  to  see  me.  It  was 
pleasant  to  see  the  epaulettes,  the  brass  buttons,  the  eagles  and 
the  anchors ;  and  a  little  talk  made  me  think,  that  I  should  ob 
tain  help  from  the  wearers  of  them.  The  Commander  was  deter 
mined  to  see  me  out  of  this  place.  He  expressed  himself  still 
more  determined  after  taking  a  look  at  my  old  quarters ;  at  the 
block  where  the  men  had  been  lodged ;  and  after  paying  a  visit 
to  the  cell  of  my  officer,  who,  from  the  fact  of  being  a  subject 
of  the  Queen  of  Great  Britain ;  though  in  American  service,  did 
not  share  in  the  advantages  attending  the  arrival  of  the  American 
ship  of  war. 

The  Commander,  in  the  midst  of  his  indignation,  on  listening 
to  my  statement  of  the  case  against  my  jailers,  spoke  however  of 


DUTCH    DIPLOMATIC    POLITENESS.  355 

their  politeness,  of  his  reception,  and  so  forth.  The  Admiral  had 
received  him  with  marked  courtesy.  Politeness  was  very  cheap,  it 
was  true ;  but  so  much  had  not  been  expected  from  Dutchmen. 
Then  the  attentions  at  the  hotel;  the  Rotterdamsche  hotel,  I 
said.  How  did  I  know  ?  no  matter.  The  proprietor  had  said ;  I 
repeated  what  proprietor  and  Admiral  had  said.  The  Commander 
was  as  much  astonished  at  my  particular  knowledge  of  his  recent 
words  and  movements,  as  the  burghers  in  Waterloo  plain,  on  the 
morning  of  the  Fourth  of  July,  at  the  sight  of  the  old  ensign  of 
the  Flirt. 

I  could  explain  in  a  few  words.  The  jailer  had  gone  with  his 
report  to  the  Resident,  which  is  a  minute  account  of  every  visit, 
speech,  and  movement,  that  could  possibly  be  observed  by  ever 
so  many  prying  eyes  in  prison;  he  happened  at  the  Stadhuis, 
when  the  police  report  of  the  movements  ashore  of  the  American 
officers  came ;  he  had  the  opportunity  and  the  curiosity  to  look 
over  it ;  and  now  that  I  was  in  favor,  he  felt  interested  in  giving 
me  the  particulars  on  his  return  home.  You  who  listen  to  me, 
and  any  one  else  who  has  resided  in  Batavia,  know  well  that  every 
hotel  proprietor  of  the  city,  is  an  official  spy  upon  his  guests. 

The  Commander  was  disposed  to  believe  that  official  politeness 
at  Batavia,  covers  perhaps  a  great  deal  of  the  meanest  of  espion 
age.  He  now  seemed  to  have  formed  a  resolution,  more  than 
before,  that  I  should  be  a  very  little  while  longer  the  victim  of 
exaggerated  fears,  spyings,  and  jealousy.  He  had  known  little  or 
nothing  of  the  case ;  he  had  come  from  the  Pacific,  with  some  ed 
ucated  Japanese  from  America  on  board — a  present  to  offer  to 
the  Syogun  of  Japan,  to  induce  him  to  open  his  ports  to  our 
whale  ships,  clocks  and  hardware.  The  Commander  had  deliver 
ed  these  coaxers  to  a  treaty,  on  board  the  flag  ship  of  the  Ameri 
can  Commodore  in  the  waters  of  China.  The  Commodore  spoke 


356  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

of  my  case ;  he  was  bound,  hard  and  fast,  by  an  order  from  the 
Secretary  of  War,  on  account  of  some  old  affair ;  the  St.  Mary's 
could  call  and  see  what  the  Dutch  were  about ;  and  now,  said  the 
Commander,  I  am  going  to  have  you  out. 

But  Dutch  politeness  had  more  attentions  to  offer  to  our 
naval  officers.  The  Governor  General  sent  a  carriage,  with  two 
of  his  aides  from  his  palace  at  Buitenzorg ;  which  is  thirty  miles 
distant  from  Batavia.  It  was  proper  to  go  and  receive  the  hos 
pitalities  of  the  head  of  the  government  at  once ;  notwithstanding 
the  unadjusted  cause  of  grievance  that  stood  between  an  American 
naval  Commander  and  a  Dutch  Governor.  Buffaloes  and  wretch 
ed  human  vassals  of  the  polite  lords  of  Java,  dragged  the 
carriage  and  our  naval  officers  up  the  bold  steeps  on  the  way  to 
Bogor.  They  arrive  and  are  received  with  an  excess  of  polite 
ness  by  the  Governor  General,  Mynheer  Duymacr  Van  Twist. 

In  the  grounds  surrounding  the  elevated  palace  of  Buitenzorg, 
the  Commander  of  the  St.  Mary's  found  all  the  productions  of 
the  temperate  zone.  The  apples  and  plums  of  home ;  and  tulips 
and  hyacinths  outvying  the  dainty  flower  cups  and  petals  of 
Harlaem  ;  he  found  breeding  tanks  for  rare  fishes ;  and  tanks  of 
marble  for  baths ;  he  found  curious  beasts  and  birds,  many  large 
serpents  and  baboons ;  Javanese  statuary,  relics  of  the  old  empires 
of  the  island ;  he  saw  other  evidences  of  the  skill  of  Dutch  hands 
in  plundering,  and  gardening ;  he  tasted  of  their  skill  in  the  pre 
paration  of  the  bountiful  food  of  Java ;  he  enjoyed  an  unlimited 
lavish  of  politeness ;  and  thus  three  days  were  spent  very  agree 
ably  by  the  Commander  of  the  St.  Mary's  at  the  Dutch  palace  at 
Buitenzorg. 

I  was  not  forgotten ;  of  course  not.  The  Governor  General 
had  a  great  deal  to  say,  about  my  curious  voyage;  he  thought  as 
strangely  of  it,  as  did  the  Resident  of  Banca.  The  Governor 


A    SPURIOUS    DOCUMENT.  357 

General  would  never  have  thought  of  undertaking  such  a  wild 
voyage.  The  Commander  also  thought  it  was  a  curious  one ;  what 
business  had  any  one  to  go  to  the  East ;  or  any  where  else,  on 
business  which  the  most  of  people  could  not  understand.  The  con 
nection  of  my  cruise  with  "  high  treason,"  and  the  Sultan  of  Jam- 
bee,  was  not  very  clear,  but  the  cruise  was  a  very  curious  one ; 
and  although  I  had  written  a  long  letter  to  explain  it,  the  Com 
mander  and  Van  Twist  could  not  fully  understand  the  object  of 
my  sailing  in  the  Flkt. 

The  translation  of  a  letter,  said  to  have  been  addressed  to  a 
Sumatran  prince,  was  shown  to  the  Commander.  This  one  spoke 
of  powder,  bullets,  and  blunderbusses ;  of  lelahs,  or  Sumatran  blun 
derbusses,  and  several  ships  of  war ;  to  be  presented  on  the  part 
of  the  United  States  of  America  to  his  Highness ;  and  this  letter, 
this  offer,  was  the  chief,  nay  sole  foundation  for  the  charge  of 
high  treason. 

The  common  sense  of  the  Commander,  nothwithstanding  the 
excess  of  politeness  of  his  host,  was  aroused  at  this.  If  the  Gov 
ernor  General  could  suppose  that  the  United  States  was  cogni 
zant  of,  and  consenting  to  such  an  offer,  it  was  an  insult  to  the  old 
ally  of  Holland;  if,  on  the  other  hand,  the  Commander  of  the 
Flirt  had  done  so,  of  his  own  will,  it  must  be  regarded  as  the 
act  of  a  madman.  No  American,  no  European  in  his  senses  could 
have  dictated  that  letter. 

The  letter  was  certainly  more  incomprehensible  than  the 
cruise.  But  there  were  other  circumstances  to  be  considered; 
associations  with  disaffected  native  chiefs  in  Sumatra;  with 
other  people  hostile  to  the  Government ;  studies  of  the  languages 
of  the  Archipelago ;  what  business  had  I  to  study  Malay,  Java 
nese  or  Dutch,  without  the  permission  of  the  Dutch  Govern 
ment  ?  and  so  many  maps,  and  plans  of  something  made  in  prison. 


358  PRISON    OF    WELTEVUEDEX. 

I  had  too  great  a  passion  for  languages  and  geography  to  be  a 
peaceful  man ;  and  then  more  than  all,  I  had  hoisted  the  American 
flag  on  the  Fourth  of  July. 

The  Commander  of  the  St.  Mary's  did  not  sec  as  much  treason 
as  the  Governor  General  in  these  charges.  There  was  a  very  pre 
valent  habit  amoDg  the  American  people,  to  learn  as  much  as 
possible  about  all  nooks  and  corners  of  this  earth,  and  even  of 
the  moon.  They  pursued  geographical  studies  to  a  very  danger 
ous  extent ;  and  had  some  taste  for  philology ;  though  the  fancy  to 
study  Dutch,  was  not  very  prevalent.  Moreover,  there  was  a 
great  disposition  among  them,  to  distinguish  the  Fourth  of  July 
by  the  burning  of  powder,  and  the  fluttering  of  bunting ;  and  if 
this  disposition  broke  out,  even  in  a  prison,  it  must  be  regarded 
as  the  effect  of  American  education ;  of  an  instinctive,  inveterate 
habit  of  bidding  defiance  to  bondage  in  every  shape. 

The  Governor  General  was  glad  to  be  assured  from  an  official 
source,  that  the  Flirt  no  longer  belonged  to  the  navy ;  and  that 
her  commander  had  no  connection  with  the  naval  service  of  the 
United  States.  The  Governor  General  was  disposed  to  take  a 
very  lenient  view  of  the  case.  There  had  been  unexpected 
delays ;  the  sudden  death  of  all  the  principal  witnesses  had  greatly 
retarded  the  progress  of  justice ;  and  had  led  to  a  minute  research 
for  evidence  of  all  the  circumstances  of  the  cruisings  of  the  Flirt 
in  the  Archipelago.  No  hostile  steps,  except  those  that  were 
about  to  be  taken  in  the  direction  of  the  Sultanate  of  Jambee, 
bad  as  yet  been  discovered.  The  Governor  General  would  inter 
pose  with  the  executive  influence,  and  the  American  Commander 
might  expect  to  see  his  countrymen  at  liberty  within  a  few  days. 
An  official  of  the  Governor,  one  of  his  aides,  or  a  secretary,  hint 
ed  that  if  the  prisoners  were  set  at  liberty,  during  the  stay  of  the 
St.  Mary's  in  port,  it  might  seem  like  yielding  to  a  threat.  For 


SUCCESS    OF    DUTCH    POLITENESS  359 

the  sake  then  of  saving  Dutch  pride,  the  Commander  would  do 
well  not  to  determine  upon  remaining,  till  he  saw  his  countryman 
out  of  prison.  He  would  hear  of  his  liberation  almost  as  soon  as 
he  should  reach  Singapore,  to  make  his  report  to  the  Commodore. 

During  the  absence  of  the  Commander  at  Buitenzorg,  I  re 
ceived  visits  from  the  rest  of  the  officers ;  second  and  third  lieu 
tenants,  purser,  master,  and  passed  midshipmen  of  the  St.  Mary's. 
One  lieutenant,  in  particular,  I  must  remember ;  an  outspoken, 
dauntless  American;  another  Bassett,  who  wanted  to  have  me 
taken  out  of  prison  without  parley;  considered  the  St  Mary's 
equal  to  the  task  of  bombarding  the  town  if  necessary.  I  rank 
him  with  Bassett  and  Drake  in  my  memory ;  but  I  must  say,  that 
he  was  somewhat  abrupt  in  his  way,  like  the  former,  and  did  not 
appreciate  Dutch  politeness. 

Again  the  Commander  and  the  first  lieutenant  paid  a  visit 
to  the  prison.  The  propriety  of  a  concession  to  Dutch  pride 
was  discussed.  American  pride  must  give  way  in  this  case.  The 
Governor  General  was  very  polite ;  and  had  actually  expressed 
himself  as  feeling  lenient  towards  me ;  he  had  stated  that  my  case 
would  be  disposed  of  in  a  very  short  time ;  an  official  had  said 
confidentially,  in  fifteen  days.  There  was  no  doubt  about  it ; 
the  Commander  believed  that  it  would  be  just  so ;  and  I  was 
anxious  to  feel  persuaded  that  such  would  be  the  case,  although 
I  had  my  doubts ;  yet  I  acquiesced  in  the  propriety  of  the  depart 
ure  of  the  St.  Mary's,  whilst  I  remained  in  prison ;  especially  as 
I  had  not  that  naval  authority  attributed  to  me  by  the  Dutch,  to 
enable  me  to  retain  her,  to  put  her  alongside  of  the  Boreas,  and 
to  wake  up  the  Dutchmen  that  were  defiling  the  Flirt. 

The  Boatswain  on  board  the  Palmer  said  that  the  St.  Mary's 
had  been  on  a  long  cruise,  was  homeward  bound ;  and  that  might 


3GO  PRISON   OF    WELTEVREDEtf. 

be  one  cause  for  not  wanting  to  hold  on  any  longer  at  Batavia. 
He  had  heard  this  visit  spoken  of  at  Hongkong;  also  whilst  he 
staid  at  Batavia ;  and  there  the  general  opinion  was,  among  the 
foreign  residents,  that  the  Dutch  laughed  over  their  pipes  about 
the  matter ;  saying  that  in  this,  as  in  a  good  many  other  cases,  a 
good  deal  of  American  bluster  had  turned  out  to  be  a  bag  of 
wind.  They  considered  that  the  Commander  of  the  St.  Mary's, 
and  the  Commander  of  the  Flirt,  had  been  thoroughly  bam 
boozled. 


FORTY-FOURTH  DAY. 

THE  fifteen  days  expired,  and  no  word  was  heard  about  libera 
tion  ;  or  that  any  thing  was  being  done  in  my  case.  During  these 
days  of  anxious  hope,  and  all  the  time  since  the  coming  of  the 
St.  Mary's,  my  usual  labors  in  the  prison  had  been  laid  aside; 
I  had  been  arranging  plans  for  my  movements  when  free ;  had 
written  out  a  list  of  stores  for  the  Flirt ;  transmitted  plans  for  some 
repairs  of  the  vessel  to  my  officer ;  and  had  sent  orders  to  my 
men,  to  make  ready  for  duty  on  board  the  schooner  again ;  but 
the  period  fixed  for  liberation  passed  away ;  many  days ;  and  as  the 
hope  of  getting  out  of  prison  began  to  wane,  I  turned  to  my  old 
interests  and  labors  within. 

I  might  have  been  a  very  wretched  prisoner ;  drooping  down 
on  that  wet  floor ;  sickening  on  coarse  fare ;  and  filling  my  cell 
with  moans,  and  with  curses  against  my  jailers ;  for  the  imprison 
ment  was  hard  for  one  who  had  always  known  the  comforts  of 
America,  and  the  freedom  of  its  great  mountains,  valleys  and 
wild  woods.  But  it  is  not  my  wish  to  tell  any  tale  of  woe;  rather 
to  say,  that  the  prison  was  turned  to  good  account  ;  and  it  may 
not  be  that  you,  or  others  who  may  hear  my  story,  will,  by  reason  of 
the  advantage  that  I  gained,  think  any  differently  of  the  right  or 
wrong  of  my  imprisonment ;  or  of  the  justice,  or  injustice  of  my 

jailers. 

16 


302  PRISON    OF    WELTEVHEDEN. 

I  had  been  removed  to  a  larger  cell ;  the  size  perhaps  would 
give  it  the  rank  of  a  room.  I  had  a  little  more  liberty  of  move 
ment  ;  but  there  were  some  associations  connected  with  my  new 
lodging,  which  were  not  observed  at  first,  and  which  were  calcu 
lated  to  diminish  very  much  an  appreciation  of  the  advantages  of 
the  removal.  The  turnkey  was  my  neighbor  on  the  left,  and  on 
my  right  was  the  maniac;  who  told  the  hour  by  the  barricad 
ing  of  his  door;  and  daily  and  nightly  masked  his  face  with 
the  fragment  of  a  hat. 

For  several  days ;  during  all  the  time  of  the  visit  of  the  St. 
Mary's,  he  had  remained  very  quiet ;  giving  no  sign  of  his  ex 
istence  but  the  usual  barricading  sounds,  to  which  I  had  become 
accustomed,  and  to  which  I  paid  no  heed ;  not  even  thinking  of 
his  neighborhood. 

One  night  my  sleep  was  broken  by  a  fearful  howl,  with  hor 
rid  moans,  and  strange  rattlings  of  the  throat.  Some  fainter 
sounds  like  these,  I  had  heard  before ;  but  now  they  were  painful 
ly  close,  within  six  feet  of  where  I  lay.  They  seemed  like  the 
sounds  of  intense  anguish,  of  struggles,  of  dying  agony.  I  called 
loudly  for  the  turnkey ;  it  was  pleasant  to  see  his  hideous  live 
face ;  he  laughed  at  my  alarm ;  the  madman  had  been  a  little 
sick  and  quiet ;  but  now  he  was  getting  strong  again,  and  bellowed 
in  his  usual  tone. 

I  wanted  to  see  him,  even  then ;  my  rest  was  broken,  and  my 
curiosity  was  excited.  Tutup  accompanied  me  with  his  lamp. 
The  bars  of  the  window  of  the  cell  of  the  maniac  were  covered 
with  a  piece  of  coarse  cloth,  which  the  crazy  man  kept  jealously 
closed  at  all  points.  The  turnkey  raised  up  a  corner,  and  let  his 
lamp  pour  in  a  stream  of  a  light ;  and  I  applied  my  eye  to  an 
other  raised  aperture,  and  beheld  my  fearful  neighbor. 

A  terrible  looking  human  being,  was  in  that  cell.     A  man  of 


THE    MASK    MANIAC. 


363 


small  frame,  without  covering,  except  some  filthy  tatters  of  de 
cayed  cloth,  hanging  from  a  belt  round  his  waist  and  what  seemed 
to  be  a  cord  or  iron  collar  round  his  neck;  these  foul  shreds 
of  garment  concealed  but  little  of  a  squalid,  hairy  body,  of  a 
shrunken  and  livid  skin ;  but  there  was  a  blackened,  filthy  frag 
ment  of  straw  plaited  work,  in  an  upraised  hand,  that  shut  out 
from  view  what  must  have  been  a  horrible  face,  to  fit  so  horrible 
a  body. 


. 


Nothing  but  a  bare  platform  for  his  sleeping  place,  and  noth- 


364  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

ing  for  covering.  Ho  slept  very  little,  and  walked  in  his  cell 
very  much  at  night ;  he  had  been  walking,  but  stood  still  whilst 
we  looked  at  him.  He  asked  in  a  thick,  and  almost  indistinct 
voice,  what  did  the  rogues,  the  foul  beasts  want;  he  was  profuse 
in  vile  epithets ;  did  we  want  to  rob  him  of  three  hundred  thou 
sand  guilders ;  and  then  go  and  laugh  with  his  brother  at  Buiten- 
zorg  ?  "We  were  thieves  and  drunkards,  leagued  with  his  brother 
and  the  Council  of  Justice;  we  were  beasts,  seeking  his  hurt, 

robbing  him  of a  woman's  name  he  mentioned ;  and  of  three 

hundred  thousand  guilders. 

This  was  his  daily  raving,  about  a  brother  who  lived  at  Buiten- 
zorg ;  who  had  married  an  heiress  with  three  hundred  thousand 
guilders,  to  whom  the  madman  had  been  engaged ;  and  this  was 
indeed  the  cause  of  his  insanity.  Surely  the  brother  and  his 
wife  had  a  right  to  suit  themselves  as  they  pleased ;  and  were  not 
to  blame  for  the  madness  of  this  man ;  but  they  ought  to  have 
made  better  provision  than  this  den,  and  wild-beast  condition,  for 
the  former  brother,  and  lover ;  although  I  must  say,  that  this 
Dutch  madman  raved  more  about  the  loss  of  the  guilders  than 
the  lady. 

This  was  a  neighborhood,  that  you  would  suppose  would  have 
made  me  clamorous  for  another  change  of  lodging ;  but  there  were 
advantages  that  made  tolerable  the  howls  of  a  crazy  man,  and  of 
a  crazy  woman  too ;  there  were  greater  chances  for  freedom,  when 
the  free  granting  of  it  should  become  doubtful ;  greater  chances 
to  see  more  of  human  faces ;  and  besides,  some  mad  cries  and  tho 
sight  of  poor  harmless  wretches,  were  not  worse  neighborship  of 
sight  and  sound,  than  the  gallows  in  the  marsh,  the  bastinado 
block  in  the  court;  and  the  howls  of  sound  men,  who  had  their 
live,  healthy  flesh  ridged  and  bloodied  with  loaded  canes. 

There  were  greater  chances  to  sec  more  of  human  faces;  and 


POLITENESS    OP   THE    TURNKEY.  365 

those  who  wished  to  visit  my  cell,  could  come  more  freely  and 
stay  much  longer.  Many  strangers,  foreign  and  native,  could 
at  certain  hours  pass  the  outer  gate  (where  a  new  building  with 
an  archway  passage  now  stands),  and  walk  into  the  debtors  ward, 
and  the  main  court ;  and  speak  with  the  prisoners  in  these  wards  • 
and  there  were  visitors  I  hoped  to  see,  who  would  have  feared  to  en 
ter  my  old  quarters. 

One  day,  a  young  Javanese,  whose  dress  showed  some  rank, 
entered  the  court ;  he  sauntered  about  with  curious  look ;  stop 
ping  to  exchange  some  words  with  the  mad  lawyer ,  then  made  u, 
halt  at  the  door  of  the  bankrupt  merchant;  chatted  awhile  with 
Tutup,  who  stood  by  the  gate  of  my  old  block;  took  a  glance 
through  the  several  gratings,  at  the  Colonel,  the  military  prisoners, 
the  Resident,  the  Topographer,  and  the  Russian;  then  sauntered 
back  towards  my  ward,  along  with  Tutup,  who  had  followed  him, 
to  show  him,  as  he  often  did  to  well-dressed  visitors,  the  lions  of 
the  prison ;  not  failing  on  these  occasions  to  throw  out  some  hints 
about  the  smallness  of  his  pay. 

The  visitor  took  a  long  stare  at  the  man,  who  raved  about 
beasts,  guilders  and  a  lost  lover ;  after  seeing  him,  he  seemed  to 
have  his  curiosity  satisfied,  presuming  that  there  was  nothing  more 
of  interest  to  be  seen ;  but  Tutup  had  not  shown  him  his  greatest 
lion,  the  American  animal,  who  took  precedence  in  the  estimation 
of  Tutup,  over  the  barricading  time-piece,  and  him  who  had  de 
voted  the  rest  of  his  life  to  the  very  sound  and  truthful  asser 
tion,  that  there  is  no  law,  but  the  law  of  might,  in  India. 

The  turnkey  had  become  very  polite  to  me  in  my  new  lodg 
ings  ;  he  had  wiped  out  the  memory  of  past  brutalities ;  indeed, 
a  certain  neighborly  good  feeling  had  sprung  up  between  us.  He 
had  told  the  story  of  many  of  his  old  griefs,  when  a  dragoon ; 
and  he  made  it  appear  that  Dutch  dragooning  in  the  East  was  not 


PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 


a  very  happy  life ;  and  could  not  be  stood  there,  no  more  than 
elsewhere,  except  by  a  man,  who  had  a  very  thick  head  and  a 
very  tough  skin.  And  then  my  sympathies  had  been  moved  by 
the  suiallness  of  his  pay,  which  was  not  much  more  than  doubled 
by  black  mail ;  to  which  I  contributed  a  few  modest  guilders. 

Tuan  Tutup  introduced  the  Javanese  young  gentleman,  who 
was  the  son  of  a  Raden,  he  said ;  one  of  the  small  chiefs  of  the 
island.  The  worthy  dragoon  knew  that  I  was  curious  about  the 
language  of  the  natives,  and  a  great  many  useless  things,  which 
led  him  to  regard  me  as  very  little  stronger  in  the  brain  depart 
ment,  than  my  right-hand  neighbor.  He  was  willing,  however,  to 
help  me  gratify  my  whim,  for  the  sake  of  the  guilders,  that  I  did 
not  want ;  and  so  left  the  visitor  to  talk  with  me  about  Java. 

My  visitor  was  a  young  man,  about  twenty-five  years  of  age , 
dressed  in  a  rich  sarong  covered  with  prints  of  turtle  and  deer ; 
lie  wore  a  short  silk  jacket  instead  of  the  kabyah ;  his  long  hair 
was  bound  in  a  knot,  and  fastened  behind  with  a  comb,  in  the 
style  of  European  women,  which  is  the  custom  of  the  men  of 
Java;  his  features  were  pure  Javanese,  which  are  more  elongated 
than  the  Malay,  and  more  expressive  of  candor  and  mildness. 
His  complexion  was  a  mingled  bronze  and  cream,  bright  and  soft ; 
his  movement  easy,  his  manner  dignified ;  and  his  countenance 
expressing  a  polite,  and  careless  curiosity,  till  the  turnkey  had 
turned  his  back. 

My  visitor  then  approached  with  a  friendly  smile ;  he  took 
one  of  my  hands  between  both  of  his.  He  was  Diporo  Kasumo, 
the  son  of  Wirojoyo;  and  grandson  of  Panyorang  Osman  Jaya 
Laksana,  He  had  come  with  his  sisters,  Sahyeepah  and  Sareena,  to 
the  gateway  of  the  house ;  they  had  all  come  like  little  people,  at 
that  time.  The  daughters  of  Java  have  fear  of  the  satans,  the 
soldiers  and  other  Dutchmen ;  they  fear  to  wear  the  tali  pendeng 


4 


A    JAVANESE    DISCOURSE.  367 

and  best  battek  cloth ;  fine  dress,  which  might  add  to  the  comeli 
ness  of  the  person.  The  hearts  of  his  poor  sisters  had  become 
very  small  indeed ;  the  heart  of  Sahyeepah  is  not  always  weak ; 
but  strong  and  wise ;  it  was  little  then,  when  in  the  hands  of  an 
evil  man;  but  his  elder  brother  was  strong  in  the  arms,  and 
strong  in  heart;  the  djin  had  no  power  to  hurt  her.  Then  beating 
hearts  made  quick  steps ;  Sahyeepah  could  only  speak  when  safe 
in  the  campong;  the  house  of  care  was  full  of  djins;  but  their 
elder  brother  was  there ;  him,  whom  the  Panyorang  loved ;  they 
had  a  message  to  give  him,  they  had  words  to  say ;  but  their 
hearts  were  too  little  to  go  again.  Then  they  see  the  old  woman ; 
and  Chuchee  speaks.  Their  elder  brother  has  more  room  in  the 
house  of  care ;  no  Tutup  locks  him  up,  and  no  djin  with  a  bay 
onet  stands  by  his  door.  Sahyeepah  remembers  our  elder  brother, 
and  his  wise  words  on  the  Moosie.  Sahyeepah  is  skilful;  has 
the  heart  of  the  daughter  of  Europe;  knows  the  science  of 
Arabs,  and  Malays,  their  history,  and  the  Koran.  The  words  of 
our  elder  brother  on  the  Moosie  were  good  and  true ;  they  are 
treasures  in  the  heart  of  the  Panyorang ;  they  are  treasures  in 
the  heart  of  Sahyeepah ;  other  hearts  are  not  so  large ;  but  they 
will  hear  and  find  treasure  too.  Our  sisters  had  wish  again  to 
enter  the  house  of  care ;  they  came  with  the  younger  brother ; 
adoh !  their  hearts  are  little  at  sight  of  red  faces,  fiery  eyes, 
and  bayonets ;  they  go  back  to  the  campong ;  they  come  again, 
but  our  sisters  have  fear  of  bad  men.  Sahyeepah  has  no  fear  of 
a  tiger;  she  has  fear  of  a  Dutchman.  Diporo  Kasumo  then 
will  come  alone,  and  not  with  the  garments  of  a  coolie ;  but  with 
the  dress  of  the  son  of  Wirojoyo,  a  demang  of  Cheribon. 

Diporo  ceased  speaking,  and  drew  from  beneath  his  sarong  a 
piece  of  polished  bamboo,  about  six  inches  long  and  two  in  diame 
ter,  ornamented  with  an  ivory  rim  at  both  ends,  which  were  closed ; 


368  PRISON    OF   WELTEVREDEN. 

and  I  saw  that  it  was  contrived  into  a  cigar  case ;  but  when  ho 
had  handed  it  to  me,  and  I  had  examined  it  closely,  I  observed 
fine  scratches  on  the  surface,  some  words  of  Arab  script,  and  a 
letter  to  me  from  Panyorang  Laksaua, 

This  is  a  common  mode  of  writing,  in  the  interior  of  Sumatra ; 
on  pieces  of  bamboo  tube ;  many  of  the  Passumah  tribes  who  uso 
the  angular  Rentjon  script,  employ  no  other  material  for  the  pre 
servation  of  their  pantuns  and  chronicles ;  they  use  a  leaf  of  pe 
culiar  shape,  with  many  dents  and  points  for  their  private  corre 
spondence,  which  when  folded  up,  cannot  be  opened  without  tear 
ing  the  leaf.  But  the  Panyorang,  who  knew  the  use  of  European 
material  for  writing,  had  only  resorted  to  the  polished  bamboo, 
as  a  compliment  to  me,  on  account  of  the  interest  I  took  in  all 
genuine  Malay  customs ;  and  besides,  a  message  upon  an  article  of 
common  use  about  the  person,  and  legible  only  upon  close  inspection, 
was  more  likely  to  escape  official  scrutiny  than  if  written  on  paper, 
and  protected  with  a  seal. 

I  was  then  a  student  of  Malay  writing ;  but  not  so  far  advan 
ced  as  to  be  enabled  to  decipher  the  bamboo,  without  the  help  of 
Diporo.  It  is  a  good  sample  of  a  great  many  Malay  letters,  that 
I  have  read  and  translated ;  and  shall  repeat  it,  with  all  its  for 
mula  of  compliment,  multiplicity  of  epithets,  and  repetitions  of 
names. 

"A  TRUSTY  MESSAGE. 

"  Now  these  are  the  words  of  Panyorang  Osman  Jaya  Laksana, 
dweller  on  the  Moosie,  and  the  Ogan  Ilcer,  and  a  chief  by  tho 
help  of  the  great  Lord  of  Hosts  over  many  children  of  Pulo 
Percha;  a  message  from  a  clean  heart,  a  straight  hand,  a  gray 
head,  from  a  father  to  his  son;  who  is  faithful,  wise,  devout, 
brave,  who  loves  the  children  of  Pulo  Percha,  who  comes  from 
the  lands  beneath  the  wind,  from  the  great  land  of  America ;  now 


A  MALAY  LETTER. 


in  the  hands  of  the  djins  of  Wolanda,  at  their  kraton  in  the  land 
of  Java.  Therefore  this  is  to  say,  that  Panyorang  Osman  Jay  a 
Laksana  has  felt  great  grief  of  heart,  that  it  has  been  the  will  of 
the  Almighty  and  Loving  One,  to  tie  the  feet  of  his  son,  to  close 
his  mouth,  to  shut  up  his  hand.  Panyorang  Laksana  has  grief, 
no  fear ;  his  son  is  betuah,  and  Allah  wa  taala  is  good.  Moreover 
the  heart  of  Panyorang  Laksana  is  one  with  the  heart  of  his 
son;  will  Bookit  Sebookinking  change  its  place?  the  heart  of 
Panyorang  Laksana  will  never  change.  Wirojoyo  has  come  in  his 
prahu  to  Pula  Percha;  Wirojoyo  has  gone  back  to  the  land  of 
Java ;  the  wild  rock  deer,  the  morning  light  in  the  heart  of  her 
grandfather  has  gone,  Sahyeepah  has  a  heart  of  Europe,  with  a 
face  of  Java ;  the  words  of  the  prophet,  great  is  his  name  and 
to  be  ever  praised,  are  in  her  heart,  in  her  head,  and  drop  from 
her  tongue.  Sahyeepah  remembers  the  good  words  of  her  brother 
from  the  great  land  beneath  the  winds.  Sahyeepah  will  go  with 
Wirojoyo  and  bear  this  message.  Allah  wa  taala,  grant  that  it 
shall  come  into  his  presence ;  and  he  shall  be  well.  Panyorang 
Laksana  will  rejoice,  Nemastiapa,  Sareena,  Chayah,  Umbah,  Wid- 
jahyah,  Wira  Menggala  will  rejoice. 

Wirojoyo  and  Sahyeepah  will  tell  much  news  of  Tuan  Besaar, 
his  officers,  and  of  many  things  at  Palembang.  Salutation  and 
heart's  wish,  to  our  son,  many,  many  years.  Written  this  day  of 
good  fortune,  tho  thirteenth  Dyoomadi'l  achir  1268  of  the  Flight, 
(15th  April,  1852)." 

The  friendship  of  the  noble  old  Sumatran  Chieftain,  and  the 
interest  shown  by  all  his  family,  led  me  to  look  upon  my  visitor 
with  some  warmth  of  regard ;  the  presence  of  his  sister,  the  let 
ter  of  his  grandfather,  had  filled  my  prison  with  brightness  and 
hope.  Diporo  Kasumo  was  indeed  a  younger  brother.  After  a 


370  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

perusal  of  the  letter,  I  took  the  hand  of  the  young  Javanese,  as 
he  had  done  mine ;  he  raised  the  other,  and  looking  upwards  with 
Javanese  reverence,  said,  the  great  Lord  of  Hosts  Eternal  is  good ; 
his  might  and  mercy  be  with  our  elder  brother. 

The  turnkey  came  to  interrupt  our  conversation.  He  was 
glad,  that  I  had  been  so  much  pleased  with  the  son  of  the  Raden. 
The  Javanese  were  not  all  stupid ;  said  the  old  dragoon  to  me 
confidentially  in  Dutch ;  there  were  some  who  had  a  little  sense ; 
this  seemed  to  be  one  of  them.  I  returned  the  confidence  of  the 
turnkey  by  whispering  that  I  had,  as  he  knew,  a  desperate  fancy 
to  learn  the  Javanese  language;  the  Schoolmaster  in  my  old 
block,  who  was  not  a  Javanese,  had  made  me  pay  very  dearly  for 
what  he  had  taught  me  of  Arabic,  Malay,  and  Javanese.  I  had 
learned  more  in  a  short  conversation  with  the  young  Raden,  than 
in  half  a  dozen  lessons  with  the  Schoolmaster ;  and  if  this  young 
man  could  be  persuaded  to  pay  occasional  visits  to  the  prison,  as 
he  had  done  to  day,  and  call  on  me,  I  should  learn  very  fast ; 
and  as  it  was  certain  that  the  Raden  would  be  offended  to  have 
any  pay  offered  to  him ;  I  could  do  something  else  with  those 
spare  guilders ;  and  I  looked  earnestly  at  Tutup. 

This  worthy  functionary  entered  into  a  lively  sympathy  with 
my  tastes ;  he  became  quite  alive  to  the  progress  of  my  studies 
in  the  Javanese  language ;  and  put  on  all  the  Dutch  politeness 
that  his  old  dragooning  habits  would  permit,  when  he  accom 
panied  Diporo  to  the  outer  gate;  and  as  far  as  I  could  see  them, 
the  hideous  Tutup  was  talking  very  earnestly  with  the  visitor, 
expatiating  upon  the  many  interests  of  the  prison  that  had  not 
yet  been  seen ;  the  mad  lady,  a  real  white  skin,  and  young  too, 
not  generally  to  be  seen  by  visitors ;  but  Tutup  would  gratify 
Mynheer  Raden  with  a  sight ;  also  a  Javanese  soldier,  that  was 
to  be  hung;  a  musician  of  one  of  the  band,  to  be  shot;  and  two 


THE  TARIFF  OF  GRACE.  371 

mornings  after  this,  three  men  were  to  receive  the  bastinado. 
The  Raden  was  not  proof  against  this  bill  of  attractions,  as  Tu- 
tup  came  to  tell  me  with  great  glee.  However,  he  had  in  his 
zeal  to  serve  me  made  three  out  of  only  one,  that  was  to  receive 
the  bastinado ;  but  I  could  explain  that  the  triple  flogging  was 
postponed ;  and  that  would  secure  him  for  another  day. 

About  this  time,  the  Baron  was  liberated  from  prison.  He 
had  not  calculated  in  vain  upon  the  fact  of  having  been  a  student 
at  the  same  Institution  in  Utrecht,  where  the  Governor  General 
and  President  of  the  Court  of  Justice  had  received  their  educa 
tion.  The  prejudices  and  hostile  influences  of  one  man  had  un 
justly  lodged  him  in  a  prison ;  and  the  partialities  of  two  others 
had  with  equal  injustice  taken  him  out.  It  was  an  injustice  to 
others  in  prison,  lodged  there  upon  the  same  indefinite  charge  of 
a  maladministration  of  affairs,  who  were  not  lucky  enough  to  have 
an  old  schoolmate  in  power. 

The  Baron  was  a  brave,  honest,  good-hearted  man,  with  some 
bad,  soldierlike  habits,  which  had  left  him  in  such  a  condition 
that  the  boon  of  freedom  was  almost  a  misfortune  to  him.  He 
had  lain  in  prison  two  days  after  the  jailer  had  received  the  order 
for  his  discharge ;  because  that  order  was  written  upon  a  stamped 
paper  worth  one  hundred  and  ten  guilders ;  a  pardon  for  a  man 
about  to  be  hung  being  worth  five  hundred ;  and  so  in  propor 
tion  to  the  crime ;  the  petitions  costing  the  same,  whether  answered 
or  not ;  and  the  good-hearted  Baron,  so  ready  to  help  others, 
and  to  share  freely  every  thing  he  received  in  prison ;  money,  pro 
visions,  or  drinkables,  had  not  wherewith  to  pay  off  the  incum- 
brance,  which  his  old  schoolmate,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  guilders  a  year,  thought  proper  to  send  along  with  his 
liberty. 


372  PRISON    OF    WELTEVKEDEN. 

A  fellow  prisoner  heard  of  the  strait  of  the  Baron,  and  sent 
him  the  needed  sum ;  and  as  much  more,  to  help  him  to  a  good 
appearance  when  outside.  After  his  liberation,  the  Baron  came 
almost  daily  to  visit  his  old  neighbor  in  Block  No.  4 : — and 
Umbah,  the  dear  child,  came  also  with  gifts  of  mangosteens  and 
many  little  luxuries ;  which  would  not  excite  the  greediness  of 
the  brutal  guard,  ever  ready  to  seize  upon  every  thing  dainty  or 
drinkable  which  happened  to  be  in  the  hands  of  a  woman  or 
a  child. 

Umbah  had  been  watched  over  with  great  care,  by  a  noble - 
hearted  protector,  during  her  early  years,  until  prison  life  had 
begun  to  produce  its  sad  effects  upon  him.  She  had  a  good 
honest  nurse ;  and  with  the  watchfulness  and  care  of  this  woman, 
and  some  little  instruction  from  the  Baron,  the  little  foundling 
had  grown  up  with  all  the  grace  and  playfulness  of  a  Malay 
child,  and  at  the  same  time  had  acquired  much  of  the  character 
of  the  European.  She  had  also  been  reared  in  a  camp,  was  cool 
and  resolute ;  though  she  showed  some  little  timidity,  on  my  first 
day  in  prison ;  but  in  general  knew  how  to  avoid  the  soldiers ; 
and  upon  any  rude  attempt  to  stop  or  to  teaze  her  at  the  gate, 
would  show  a  high  Surnatran  fierceness  in  her  little  face,  that 
made  great  brutes  with  bayonets  in  their  hands,  stand  back ;  who 
knew  that  Malay  maidens  carry  steel ;  and  are  quick  to  use  it. 

She  oftentimes  took  under  her  protection  timid  women,  the 
wives,  relatives  or  friends  of  prisoners,  who  on  their  first  visit, 
would  be  afraid  of  the  guard,  and  loiter  in  the  road  outside. 
Umbah  would  see  them,  would  bid  them  follow  her ;  and  many 
grown  up  women  had  felt  themselves  safe  with  the  escort  of  the 
little  foundling  of  Passumah ;  as  occurred  a  few  days  after  the 
visit  of  Diporo  Kasumo. 


FORTY-FIFTH  DAY. 

IN  the  midst  of  my  machine  making ;  being  engaged  upon  the 
saw-mill,  when  I  moved  into  my  new  quarters,  I  also  continued 
my  studies  with  Umbah ;  having  better  opportunity  to  do  so,  and 
learning  myself  as  I  taught  her.  I  felt  a  pleasant  stimulus  in  prac 
tising  the  Arabic  letters ;  and  in  writing  Malay  pan  tuns  and  verses 
of  the  Koran,  to  learn  in  advance  of  my  scholar.  We  sat  unmo 
lested,  except  by  the  uncouth  noises  of  the  prison;  during  an 
hour  in  the  forenoon,  and  two  in  the  afternoon. 

My  interest  in  the  child  was  all  the  greater  j  that  she  was  a 
motherless  one.  She  spoke,  as  orphans  often  do,  about  a  mother 
they  have  never  seen ;  who  becomes  a  bright  being  with  wings, 
stealing  upon  their  dreams  or  waking  fancies.  They  have  seen 
that  bright  mother ;  they  are  sure  of  it ;  sho  sat  by  their  couch 
one  night ;  they  heard  music,  and  the  air  was  full  of  fragrance ; 
and  they  remember  a  lady  with  flowers  in  her  hair,  who  sang 
sweet  songs  and  talked  about  God  by  their  bedside,  till  they  fell 
asleep.  Such  was  one  re  very  I  had  heard  from  a  child  in  a 
Christian  land.  This  was  the  revery  of  the  little  Malay. 

She  had  a  kukur,  that  said  mari-lah,  Umbah  !  Umbah  come ; 
and  the  bird  had  once  flown  in  the  woods,  near  the  foot  of  Dem- 
poh;  there,  Kayroom  had  caught  it;  Mamma  had  spoken  with  the 
bird,  had  said,  Umbah  come,  all  the  day.  She  saw  her  when  she 


374  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

was  little,  near  the  woods  of  Lahat ;  she  sat  in  a  wariugin  tree, 
her  face  was  shining  like  the  eye  of  day ;  her  hair  was  twined 
with  the  flowers,  white-doves-on-the-wing.  Umbah  went  to  her, 
Mamma  smiled,  her  face  grew  little ;  the  gold  changed  to  white, 
and  then  she  had  wings,  and  flew  away  to  Gunung  Dempoh. 
When  Umbah  was  a  woman  she  would  go  back  to  Lahat ;  and 
look  for  her  Mamma,  who  was  held  by  some  djins,  and  could  not 
come  to  her. 

And  Malays,  old  and  young,  like  this  child,  see  visions  of 
beings  upon  the  earth,  and  in  the  air ;  they  have  a  vividness  of 
fancy,  that  soon  changes  any  imagination  that  is  dwelt  upon  into 
(act,  to  them.  But  I  found  the  European  common  sense,  that 
Umbah  had  acquired  from  her  foster  father,  quite  disposed  to  listen 
to  my  reasonings  upon  her  visions. 

She  looked  upon  pictures  of  her  mother  in  a  bright  space, 
where  spirits  lived ;  they  were  with  Him  who  had  made  sun, 
moon,  stars  and  earth ;  and  Umbah  knew  more  about  the  God 
of  her  foster  father ;  than  the  Allah  of  her  nurse.  Her  mother 
was  above  the  earth,  and  would  live  for  ever ;  she  would  not  live 
in  trees,  nor  tell  birds  to  speak  to  her  child ;  she  spoke  in  the 
heart  of  Umbah;  and  if  Umbah  learned  many  things,  to  make 
her  wise  and  good,  her  mother  would  often  come  into  her  heart, 
and  fill  it  with  music,  and  she  would,  by  and  by,  hear  stories  of 
the  other  world. 

How  the  Malay  child  listened,  and  wished  for  the  music 
every  day  in  her  heart ;  and  by  and  by,  she  did  a  nice  little  piece  of 
work  for  her  papa  captain,  with  which  he  had  been  so  much 
pleased ;  and  then  she  took  a  little  money,  some  copper  doits  to  a 
poor  sick  woman,  who  called  her  a  little  princess ;  and  then  one 
time  she  had  been  very  spiteful  with  her  old  nurse,  and  called 
her  a  bad  name,  giving  much  pain ;  and  then  she  had  been  per- 


MUSIC    IN    THE    HEART.  375 

suaded  to  go  and  kiss  and  ask  forgiveness ;  and  nurse  was  happy ; 
and  Umbah  was  happy ;  and  having  no  idleness  like  little  girls 
in  the  campongs,  to  make  her  weary,  she  was  joyous,  she  sang; 
and  young  as  she  was,  that  Malay  child  began  to  understand  what 
was  meant  by  music  in  the  heart. 

After  she  had  begun  to  understand  about  music  in  the  heart ; 
she  began  to  learn  from  many  stories,  how  that  certain  kind  of 
evil  spirits,  never  to  be  seen,  could  live  in  the  heart  too.  She 
wanted  her  own  way  sometimes,  she  had  done  some  foolish  things, 
she  had  wanted  to  do  them  again  after  once  being  sorry ;  that 
was  the  work  of  a  real  djin  in  her  heart ;  they  would  grow  very 
strong  when  she  had  nothing  to  do ;  she  had  seen  them  strong 
in  the  heart  of  her  papa  captain  when  the  fire  was  in  his  eyes; 
he  was  good,  he  was  brave,  Umbah  knew  it ;  but  he  did  no  labor, 
he  wrote  with  no  pen,  looked  in  no  book ;  the  djins  came,  he  had 
nothing  to  do ;  his  heart  was  empty,  he  wanted  to  fill  it,  and 
they  would  fill  it ;  and  then  he  felt  good,  for  a  little  while,  only 
a  little ;  and  then  he  was  sick ;  there  was  no  music ;  and  so  Um 
bah  began  to  see  something  of  the  mystery  of  evil. 

Such  was  my  pupil  and  my  teacher,  during  many  months  in 
prison.  Many  strange  things  passed  over  me  during  those  months 
which  have  not  been,  which  need  not  be  told  now.  What  will  you 
care  for  lengthy  stories  of  the  workings  of  Dutch  justice  with  me ; 
to  know  all  the  circumstances  of  the  two-and-fifty  times  that 
I  appeared  before  a  functionary  of  Dutch  jurisprudence,  to  be 
examined  and  cross-examined  by  a  tedious  intermediary  of  an 
interpreter ;  and  all  the  brow-beating  and  worrying  during  a 
space  of  one  year  and  more  ?  It  is  not  so  much  my  purpose  to 
tell  you  of  all  that  I  underwent ;  as  of  all  that  I  saw  and  learned 
during  my  stay  in  the  prison  of  Weltevreden. 

It  was  a  great  college  for  the  study  of  humanity  in  some  of 


376  PRISON    OF    WELTEV11EDEN. 

its  most  interesting  forms  and  characters.  Children  of  these  isles 
were  books  and  professors  both ;  filling  my  soul  with  a  new  and 
a  lightsome  lore.  There  were  some  coarse,  heavy  Dutch  tomes  and 
teachers;  judges,  jailers,  soldiers,  convicts  and  madmen;  these 
were  the  drudgery  of  my  studies ;  the  pleasanter  themes  were  in 
the  bright  pages  of  Umbah ;  and  yet  these  were  but  elementary ; 
there  was  a  volume  of  richer  lore,  a  deeper  study  of  the  Malay 
and  Javanese  soul.  You  shall  now  read  it  with  me,  as  I  turn  back 
to  think  over  my  studies  in  the  College  of  Weltevreden. 

Umbah  entered  the  main  court,  one  day ;  turning  round  after 
passing  the  gate,  and  beckoning  to  some  persons  to  come  forward. 
Two  young  women  in  Javanese  dress  appeared,  who  stepped  along 
timidly,  under  the  escort  of  the  little  girl.  Beckers  approached ; 
the  women  stopped,  and  were  about  to  fly ;  the  turnkey  called  to 
them  to  enter,  with  an  assuring  voice ;  they  had  been  told  before 
coming,  that  he  would  not  molest  them.  It  was  Sahyeepah  and 
her  sister  who  came  to  pay  mo  a  visit. 

Umbah  was  at  home,  and  did  the  honors ;  she  placed  the  two 
chairs  for  the  visitors,  sat  down  herself  in  her  own  oriental  way, 
on  the  top  of  my  little  table,  a  favorite  perch  for  her,  and  left  me 
to  accommodate  myself  on  the  top  of  my  trunk.  My  visitors  were 
better  dressed  than  when  I  had  seen  them  at  my  former  lodging; 
yet  still  the  costume  of  one  showed  a  great  contrast  to  the  rich 
apparel  I  had  seen  in  Sumatra. 

Sahyeepah  spoke ;  her  voice  had  sounded  pleasantly  at  tho 
house  of  her  grandfather ;  but  so  much  more  so  now  that  I  un 
derstood  so  clearly  what  she  said.  Iler  brother,  Diporo  Kasumo, 
had  gone  away  quickly  to  Cheribon ;  some  news  that  had  been 
received  from  an  uncle,  required  his  sudden  going ;  if  he  had  been 
here,  he  would  have  come  with  his  sisters ;  and  her  father  could  not 
leave  his  prahu,  which  was  a  large  vessel  of  several  hundred  tons, 


HOW    THE    SPURIOUS    LETTER    WAB    WRITTEN.  377 

managed  by  thirty  six  men,  and  was  commanded  by  his  son-in- 
law,  the  husbaud  of  the  sister  of  Sahyeepah;  but  who  was,  at 
that  time,  attending  to  some  business  in  Samarang. 

The  sister  became  engaged  with  Umbah,  in  looking  at  some 
sketches,  pictures  and  maps  that  lay  on  a  shelf;  and  Sahyeepah 
talked  with  me  in  a  lower  tone  about  Sumatra.  When  Panyorang 
Osman  had  heard,  that  Kiagoos  Lanang  had  a  place  by  the  side 
of  our  brother  in  his  ship,  he  had  sent  a  faithful  messenger  to 
warn  his  son,  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  him :  Kiagoos  Lanang  had 
been  with  the  Company,  upon  an  expedition  into  Ampat  Lawang ; 
he  was  skilful  in  all  the  customs  of  the  country ;  he  knew  the 
laws ;  sang  pantuns ;  and  recited  history ;  he  was  wonderfully 
skilful ;  and  Panyorang  Osman  sent  for  him  to  come  to  his  house, 
to  give  pleasure  to  his  son ;  but  if  our  brother  had  asked,  did 
Kiagoos  Lanang  possess  a  white  heart,  and  a  clean  face ;  the 
Panyorang  would  have  said  no ;  he  sent  the  messenger  to  say  so ; 
but  he  came  too  late ;  our  brother  was  in  the  hands  of  the  djins 
of  Palembang. 

Kiagoos  Lanang  said  with  a  big  mouth,  to  the  people  of  Pa 
lembang,  that  he  had  received  money  from  the  Company  to  write 
a  false  letter  for  the  Sultan  of  Jambee.  The  people  of  Palem 
bang  speak  of  it  to  this  day.  Kiagoos  Lanang  said,  that  when 
the  American  Captain  was  at  the  marriage  feast  of  the  Chinaman, 
his  servants,  Bahdoo  and  Moonchwa,  went  to  the  houses  of 
Karanga  Kerta  Negara,  and  Tumungung  Nora  Wangsa;  two 
chieftains  in  the  service  of  the  Company ;  the  servants  were  sent 
to  the  house  of  the  Mantri,  who  stood  by  the  side  of  Tuan  Besar ; 
a  man  with  a  black  skin,  the  Assistant  Resident,  who  gave  them 
instructions  to  tell  them  what  Kiagoos  Lanang  should  write ;  they 
went  to  the  house  of  the  Assistant  Resident  twice,  before  the 
letter  was  finished. 


378  PRISON    OF    WELTEVflEDEN. 

Panyorang  Osnian  had  felt  great  grief  for  his  son  who  had 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  djins  of  the  Company;  but  he  felt 
greater  that  the  hands  of  children  of  Pulo  Percha  should  have 
helped  to  put  his  son  into  the  house  of  care. 

It  was  well,  I  said ;  that  it  is  so ;  her  brother  had  come  to 
know  the  tongue  and  the  heart  of  the  people  of  Pulo  Percha. 
Allah  had  sent  him  to  the  house  of  care ;  his  eyes  had  become 
strong,  his  ears  were  opened  wide ;  ho  saw  deep  into  the  wicked 
ness  of  the  Company ;  and  deep  into  the  hearts  of  the  people  of 
Pulo  Percha,  and  of  the  land  of  Java.  Without  this  trouble,  he 
would  not  have  known  the  great  and  good  friends  that  he  possessed. 
Allah  would  take  him  out  of  the  hands  of  the  satans  of  Batavia ; 
Sahycepah  need  have  no  fear. 

Sahyeepah  spoke  of  her  grandmother,  of  Nemastiapa,  of  her 
cousins,  Chayah,  Sareena  and  Umbah ;  the  namesake  present, 
turned  round  on  hearing  her  name  mentioned ;  were  we  speaking 
about  her  ?  She  had  a  map  in  her  hand,  a  map  of  the  globe  in 
hemispheres,  drawn  with  some  care,  and  colored ;  but  without  the 
parallel  and  meridian  lines,  which  were  calculated  to  confuse  the 
unmathematical  Malay  mind,  and  one  so  young  as  Umbah ;  the 
map  was  zoological  and  botanical ;  as  some  particular  beast,  bird 
and  plant,  that  belonged  to  each  region  was  drawn  upon  it.  Um 
bah  was  proud  of  her  knowledge,  and  eager  to  point  out  to  Sah 
yeepah,  as  she  had  been  showing  to  her  sister,  the  land  of  the 
kangaroo,  of  the  lion,  and  of  the  eagle,  or  America. 

The  names  of  every  country  were  written  in  Arabic ;  also 
various  notes  and  explanations  upon  spaces  in  the  different  oceans, 
upon  the  deserts  of  Africa,  the  steppes  of  Asia,  and  the  prairies 
of  America.  Each  one  was  read ;  Umbah  explaining ;  and  Sah 
ycepah  and  her  sister  looking  on  ;  they  learned  about  a  cold  ocean, 
where  the  water  turned  to  rock;  and  where  fish  as  large  aa 


MALAY    TA8TE    FOR    GEOGRAPHY.  379 

prahus,  sported  among  the  floating  mountains  of  crystal ;  they 
saw  Pulo  Percha,  and  Palembang,  and  the  river  Moosie;  and 
followed  the  way  they  had  come,  along  by  Banca,  Lucepara,  and 
other  islands,  they  knew  in  the  Java  sea ;  then  they  watched  the 
little  fingers  of  Umbah,  as  she  pointed  out  the  track  of  the  ship 
of  her  Uncle  Captain ;  leading  them  through  the  Straits  of  Sunda, 
across  the  great  waters,  where  those  great  fish  were  to  be  found, 
then  round  the  extreme  point  of  the  land  of  lions,  across  another 
great  stretch  of  water ;  and  so  on  to  the  land  of  eagles. 

What  expressions  of  delight  and  wonder  at  this  glimpse  of 
the  world.  How  Panyorang  Osman  had  been  delighted  at  the 
rude  pen  sketch ;  the  Malay  mind,  prone  to  adventure,  seems  to 
have  an  innate  desire  for  a  knowledge  of  the  surface  of  the  earth  ; 
they  have  among  their  writings  some  extravagant  poetic  notions 
of  geography,  like  what  is  found  in  the  dwipas  of  the  Hindoos ; 
having  but  little  knowledge  of  lands,  besides  China,  Siam,  and 
the  country  of  Adjem,  or  Persia ;  they  believe  that  the  Dutch 
control  nearly  all  the  land  of  the  West;  and  that  the  English, 
Portuguese,  and  Americans  live  perpetually  on  the  waves,  wan 
dering  about  for  trade  or  plunder. 

The  Panyorang  and  his  granddaughter  had  some  such  rude 
ideas  about  geography ;  though  so  well  versed  in  the  Koran ; 
and  in  the  history  and  poetry  of  their  country.  Knowledge  on 
this  subject  seemed  to  break  in  upon  them  like  strains  of  new 
music ;  knowledge  coming  with  all  the  picturing  and  stories,  that 
would  gain  for  it  an  entrance  into  the  minds  of  children ;  and  the 
Panyorang,  his  granddaughter  Sahyeepah,  and  Umbah,  were  three 
children  very  much  alike ;  they  stood  about  equal  at  the  thres 
hold  of  civilized  lore ;  perhaps  the  little  foundling,  the  farther 
advanced  of  the  three ;  and  I  was  moved  by  a  desire,  more  than 
ever  created  before  by  interests  of  this  world,  to  teach  them. 


380  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

I  do  not  speak  of  the  sister  of  Sahyeepah  ;  a  half  sister  rath 
er,  a  daughter  of  a  Javanese  mother ;  who  was  also  the  mother 
of  Diporo.  The  sister  looked  on  with  quiet,  simple  good  nature, 
chiefly  occupied  in  preparing  her  betel  nut,  siri  leaf,  lime,  and 
gambier,  or  cardamus;  which  she  chewed  with  the  sleepy  con 
tentment  of  an  inveterate  tobacco  chewer,  or  smoker  at  home. 
The  vermilion  saliva  that  oozed  out  of  her  mouth,  and,  as  it 
dried,  formed  dark  streaks  upon  her  lips,  was  certainly  not  quite 
so  offensive, — having  a  pleasanter  color;  as  the  mahogany  ooze  from 
the  tobacco-leaf,  copperas  and  molasses,  chewed  at  home.  She 
was  a  wife  and  a  young  mother ;  and  cared  as  little  about  dirty 
streaks  of  siri  on  her  lips,  as  some  young  American  wives  do 
about  a  tobacco  pipe  between  theirs  by  the  home  fireside ;  and 
caring  just  as  little  about  geography,  when  the  dressing  of  baby 
happened  to  be  the  chief  care. 

Perhaps  the  sister  did  not  feel  so  much  interest  in  the  teacher, 
as  the  other  two ;  there  was  nothing  said  that  would  betray  any 
feeling  of  any  one  in  that  way.  Sahyeepah  had  brought  a  message 
from  her  grandfather ;  a  part  of  which  her  brother  had  brought, 
and  he  might  have  brought  it  all ;  but  perhaps  the  skilfulness  and 
good  memory  of  Sahyeepah  were  more  relied  upon ;  and  so  she 
came,  that  I  might  receive  the  message  more  fully,  having  also  a 
great  curiosity,  despite  her  fears,  to  see  a  prison ;  or  perhaps  she 
had  listened  with  great  interest  to  some  stories  told  in  broken 
Malay;  as  ladies  in  other  countries  are  often  pleased  with  persons, 
who  speak  their  language  in  broken  words ;  and  she  had  wished 
to  hear  the  same  person  again,  and  the  stories  continued ;  and 
came  on  that  account  to  see  him. 

There  was  one  who  speculated  thus ;  but  Sahyeepah,  the  sim 
ple  child  of  nature,  spoke  only  to  the  friend  of  her  grandfather; 
she  had  been  interested  in  his  words,  when  she  had  seen  him 


MALAY  HORROR  OF  THE  NEGRO  RACE.  381 

before ;  she  was  now  interested ;  she  had  a  lively  curiosity  and  a 
love  for  knowledge,  which  all  Malays  possess  to  a  greater  extent 
than  other  Orientals;  she  listened  eagerly,  like  the  people  of 
Sumatra,  to  chronicles  of  Malay  states ;  she  could  repeat  some 
herself,  many  young  women  of  Sumatra  can ;  she  was  eager  to 
follow  the  footsteps  of  the  Malay  race ;  and  she  was  more  Malay 
than  Javanese ;  leaning  to  the  race  of  the  grandfather  who  claimed 
an  admixture  with  the  sacred  race  of  Mahomet,  of  which 
Sumatrans  are  so  proud.  She  had  been  getting  a  glimpse  of 
great  lands  and  seas  beyond  Pulo  Percha ;  a  great  world  of  won 
der  for  every  young,  curious,  well  developed  mind  of  any  race ; 
she  wanted  to  know  more ;  and  who  would  not  have  been  eager 
to  have  told  her  more?  all  they  knew.  She  would  study  the 
world  I  had  made  on  paper ;  she  could  not  in  prison ;  but  she 
could  take  it  away  to  bring  back  again,  and  another  one  should 
be  made  for  Umbah. 

We  were  roused  by  a  start  and  an  exclamation  of  terror 
from  the  sister  ;  and  the  next  moment  I  saw  my  ugly  Peri  stand 
ing  in  the  doorway.  He  was  hideous  enough  to  frighten  a  timid 
lady  any  where ;  but  the  people  of  the  Archipelago  have  a  pecu 
liar  horror  of  the  negro  race,  to  such  an  extent,  that  the  Dutch 
Government  endeavored  to  profit  by  this  dread,  in  the  subjuga 
tion  of  the  different  islands.  Great  numbers  of  Africans  were 
sent  from  the  Dutch  possessions  of  St  George  d'  Elmina,  and 
several  companies  of  black  troops  formed ;  but  this  Africaniza 
tion  of  the  Netherland  Indian  army  was  suddenly  stopped  by  the 
British  Government,  which  would  not  allow  negroes  to  be  kidnap 
ped  and  sold  for  killing  Malays,  any  more  than  for  working  sugar 
and  cotton  plantations.  The  few  Papuans ;  the  name  that  Malaya 
give  to  all  black  skins  and  woolly  heads,  that  were  brought  to 
the  Archipelago,  inspired  more  horror  than  the  sight  of  the 


382  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

orang-utan;  hence   the   start   at  the  sight   of  my  poor,  honest, 
brave-hearted,  faithful  Pirez. 

This  dark,  distorted  young  monster  was  diffident  and  confused ; 
he  stood  in  the  doorway,  turning  his  woolly  plaid  cap  in  his 
hand;  grinning,  and  looking  disposed  to  retreat.  I  bade  him 
come  in ;  as  he  entered,  the  sisters  cowered  with  looks  of  fear ; 
but  Umbah,  the  little  heroine,  the  valiant  escort,  had  seen  this 
black  djin,  this  rakshasha  before ;  she  went  up  to  him ;  saying, 
nobody  was  afraid  of  Peri,  any  more  than  of  Bassett ;  and  gave 
a  dab  with  her  little  fist  at  the  monster ;  which  he  endeavored  to 
dodge  with  awkward,  grinning  good  humor. 

You  will  perhaps  wonder,  that  nearly  six  months  after  the 
departure  of  the  brave  Commander  of  the  Rambler,  Umbah  should 
make  such  familiar  use  of  his  name ;  as  though  she  had  been  playing 
with  him  the  day  before ;  such  was  indeed  the  case,  with  the  Bas 
sett  that  she  spoke  of;  a  little  chunky,  sturdy,  black  and  white  dog 
that  had  belonged  to  one  Captain  Duckers  of  the  Navy,  confined 
on  account  of  a  duel,  in  the  same  block  with  the  Colonel,  when  I 
first  came  to  prison.  During  my  early  promenades  I  had  become 
acquainted  with  him ;  shortly  afterwards  he  was  pardoned  out ; 
and  on  leaving,  he  presented  to  me  his  little  dog,  then  called 
Pompey ;  which  he  gave  me  the  more  particularly,  as  it  was  one 
of  a  litter  obtained  from  an  American  ship ;  and  though  not 
born  on  the  soil,  was  essentially  a  native  American  dog. 

Pompey  was  a  well-made,  brave  little  fellow ;  he  manifested 
after  belonging  to  me  a  decided  antipathy  to  a  stump-tailed  dog 
of  the  turnkey,  and  towards  Dutch  soldiers,  in  which  display  of 
hostility,  he  was  certainly  encouraged  by  Umbah.  She  had  made 
for  him  a  collar,  to  which  she  sometimes  attached  a  patchwork  of 
Bilk,  that  bore  a  striking  resemblance  to  a  miniature  American 
flag;  this  had  given  umbrage,  on  one  occasion,  to  a  great  red- 


BA88ETT. 


383 


faced,  red-headed,  Dutch  sentinel ;  he  told  Umbah  to  take  it  off 
the  dog;  she  was  not  disposed  to  comply;  he  made  a  rush  to 
seize  her ;  but  the  nimble  little  nymph  slipped  away ;  the  more 
easily,  as  Pompey  had  seized  the  soldier  by  his  leg,  and  made  a 
considerable  rent  in  his  trowsers ;  the  Dutchman  turned  furiously ; 


Pompey  faced  him ;  several  bayonet  thrus'ts  were  made,  which 
the  dog  continued  to  dodge ;  whilst  the  trooper  was  making  an 
other  charge,  he  received  an  assault  in  the  rear,  a  stone  thrown 
by  Umbah,  whc  then  beat  a  rapid  retreat ;  Pompey  joining  his 
mistress,  amid  roars  of  laughter,  that  came  from  the  gratings  of 
the  several  blocks.  After  this  event,  the  Baron  decided  that  the 
name  of  Pompey  should  be  changed  to  that  of  Bassett,  in  remem- 


884  PRISON    OF    WELTEV11EDEN. 

brance  of,  and  out  of  compliment  to  the  gallant  Captain  of  the 
Rambler. 

Urnbah  was  on  equally  as  good  terms  with  Peri  as  with  Bassett ; 
she  made  various  demonstrations  to  prove  that  he  was  a  very  harm 
less,  good-natured  animal,  except  when  roused  in  defence  of  his 
friends ;  and  I  made  such  remarks,  as  induced  my  visitors  to  look 
upon  my  faithful  follower,  with  curiosity,  unmingled  with  alarm. 
And  when  about  to  depart,  I  had  so  well  set  forth  his  bravery 
and  trustiness,  as  made  them  willing  to  accept  his  escort,  along 
with  Umbah  and  Bassett,  back  to  the  campong. 


FORTY-SIXTH  DAY. 

IN  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  that  I  had  received  the  visit 
of  Sahyeepah  and  her  sister,  I  was  called  upon  by  a  Catholio 
priest  of  Batavia ;  one  of  his  colleagues  made  a  weekly  round  of 
the  prison,  and  celebrated  mass,  and  preached  twice  a  month,  in 
the  little  hall  of  instruction;  it  was  not  a  government  regula 
tion,  but  a  voluntary  act  on  the  part  of  the  Catholic  clergy; 
who  were  the  only  ones  that  ever  paid  any  visits  of  mercy  and 
charity,  during  my  stay  in  prison. 

A  man  was  condemned  to  be  hung ;  a  native  soldier,  of  the 
Bughis  race  of  Ceylon ;  he  had  been  removed  from  the  military 
quarter,  and  on  this  afternoon,  was  placed  in  a  cell  in  the  debtors' 
ward,  where  he  was  to  be  closely  guarded  for  three  days,  previous 
to  execution.  This  condemned  cell  was  nearly  opposite  to  mine, 
adjoining  that  of  the  mad  lawyer.  The  priest  wished  to  speak 
with  the  condemned  man ;  and  although  the  Government  forbids 
all  missionary  operations  beyond  the  precincts  of  Batavia,  and 
some  other  European  towns  of  the  Archipelago,  yet  has  no  ob 
jections  to  the  consolation,  or  conversion  of  dying  men ;  who  will 
have  no  opportunity  in  this  world,  to  make  any  pernicious  use  of 
their  Christian  enlightenment ;  and  so  the  priest  was  allowed  free 
intercourse  with  the  man  whose  moments  of  life  were  num 
bered. 

17 


386  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEX. 

It  was  a  late  hour,  when  ordinary  visitors  were  not  allowed 
to  enter ;  and  I  obtained  leave  to  accompany  the  priest  on  his 
visit  of  mercy.  A  sergeant  sat  in  the  doorway  ;  and  another  ser 
geant  sat  in  the  cell,  with  the  condemned  man ;  who  was  not  to  be 
left  alone,  or  unobserved  for  one  instant.  He  was  a  stout,  well- 
made  man,  in  early  prime  of  life,  perhaps  thirty  years  of  age. 
His  complexion  was  like  that  of  the  Javanese,  which  is  a  shade 
deeper  than  the  Malay  of  Sumatra.  He  had  the  broad  forehead, 
round  head,  and  bold  expression  of  the  Bughis  race ;  one  of  the 
bravest,  and  most  industrious  in  the  Archipelago ;  and  so  justly 
famed  for  their  enlarged  commercial  enterprise. 

This  man  was  condemned  to  be  hung  for  a  deliberate  act  of 
murder ;  he  had  expressed  a  desire  to  speak  with  the  panghulu, 
or  Mussulman  priest ;  but  not  being  satisfied  with  his  visit,  he  had 
signified  a  wish  to  see  a  Christian  teacher.  He  had  met  with  a 
Christian  missionary  of  Amboyna ;  one  of  the  native  converts  of 
that  island,  who  had  given  him  a  few  exceedingly  rude  notions  of 
Christianity,  which  were  mingled  with  some  strange  notions  about 
the  transmigration  of  souls,  a  belief  entertained  by  a  large  por 
tion  of  the  people  of  the  Archipelago ;  especially  of  Celebes,  and 
of  the  Molucca  group.  He  wished  to  know  if  the  "  prophet  Jesus" 
would  help  him  to  pass  out  of  his  body,  without  pain  when  stran 
gled  ;  and  would  if  he  prayed  to  him,  place  him  in  the  same  class 
of  bodies,  along  with  one,  a  young  woman,  whom  he  had  loved, 
and  who  had  been  killed  by  a  tiger. 

The  priest  spoke  of  man,  after  his  death,  after  his  heart  had 
ceased  to  beat,  and  his  body  had  grown  cold ;  he  had  nothing 
more  to  do  on  this  earth ;  he  went  to  meet  God,  who  had  caused 
him  to  live,  who  had  made  his  soul ;  who  had  sent  His  Son,  God 
like  himself,  to  suffer  great  torment ;  to  die  on  this  earth ;  so 
that  evil,  and  pain,  might  not  always  have  power  over  the  hearts 


THE    MALAY    METEMPSYCHOSIS.  887 

of  men.  To  slay  our  fellow  man  to  gratify  our  own  bad  wishes, 
was  a  terrible  bad  deed ;  and  caused  by  the  spirit  of  evil ;  he  had 
felt  its  power,  making  him  do  wrong  often  in  spite  of  good  thoughts 
not  to  do  so ;  if  the  condemned  man  now  felt  great  grief  for  what 
he  had  done ;  and  would  believe  in  Christ,  that  Son  of  God, 
who  suffered  to  save  him  from  the  pain  of  evil  doing;  if  he 
would  believe  in  Him,  he  would  die  in  peace,  and  go  to  a  world 
where  pain  and  evil  were  never  felt.  But  this  Bughis  soldier 
understood  nothing  of  all  this. 

He  believed  that  when  his  spirit  was  forced  out  of  his  body 
at  the  gallows,  it  would  then  take  flight  across  the  seas,  and  re 
turn  to  the  haunts  that  it  loved  best ;  perhaps  to  enter  the  body 
of  a  tiger,  or  a  bird  of  paradise ;  or  perhaps  to  pass  into  the  body 
of  a  new-born  child;  and  thus  have  an  opportunity  to  act  a 
better  part  in  life  again,  by  the  help  of  his  past  experience.  If  for 
the  present,  he  passed  into  the  body  of  an  animal,  it  was  on  ac 
count  of  some  anger,  some  machinations  of  djins,  which  he  wished 
to  circumvent ;  but  this  animal  condition  was  only  a  purgatory, 
which  would  prepare  him  for  a  triumphant  career  at  last,  in  hu 
man  form.  The  Bughis  soldier  was  steadfast  in  the  belief  in 
his  idea  of  purgatory ;  and  the  priest  had  to  leave  him  after  a 
fruitless  visit,  as  the  panghulu  had  done.  On  leaving,  my  clerical 
visitor  presented  me  with  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament,  in  the 
Malay  language. 

I  felt  desirous  to  talk  with  the  soldier,  myself;  he  was  an 
interesting-looking  man ;  I  wished  to  hear  something  of  his 
history ;  also  more  about  that  curious  notion  of  the  passage  of 
the  soul  into  a  beast,  or  another  human  form ;  and  I  thought  to 
try  and  satisfy  some  of  the  inquiries  of  his  mind.  The  solicita 
tion  of  the  turnkey  obtained  for  me  permission  to  visit  the  con 
demned  cell  at  a  late  hour ;  and  this  was  granted  the  more  readily 


388  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREPEX. 

by  the  application  of  a  few  guilders  to  the  palms  of  the  ser 
geants. 

The  criminal  did  not  appear  in  the  least  dejected  on  account 
of  his  approaching  fate ;  yet  notwithstanding  his  confidence  in  his 
continuation  upon  the  earth  in  another  state  of  being,  he  seemed 
to  regret  some  memories  of  what  belonged  to  the  present ;  some 
memories  of  an  early  love,  the  chief  thought  and  anxiety  of  this 
murderer.  I  had  spoken  to  him  of  his  home,  his  family,  his 
country,  and  his  pursuits ;  he  had  drawn  near  to  me,  and  both  the 
sergeants  preferring  the  cool  air  outside,  and  heedless  of  the  regula 
tion,  left  us  to  talk  undisturbed  by  their  presence.  All  the  mem 
ories  and  interests  of  the  barbarian  soul  of  the  Bughis,  had  been 
stirred  up  by  words  that  took  him  to  his  early  play,  and  hunting 
grounds,  and  beneath  the  waringin  groves,  where  he  first  had 
loved. 

His  name  was  Wongso ;  and  the  son  of  a  small  chieftain  in 
the  service  of  Arong  Datu,  queen  of  Boni,  a  kingdom  of  Celebes. 
This  princess  made  vigorous  war  against  the  English  in  1814; 
and  afterwards  against  the  Dutch  under  Van  der  Cappelen.  The 
sovereignty  of  Boni  is  the  ruling  state  among  the  nations  of  Ce 
lebes  ;  its  sovereigns  are  elected  by  the  chieftains  of  the  country ; 
and  since  the  time  of  the  Portuguese,  when  an  act  of  cowardice  and 
treason  was  committed  by  one  of  their  kings,  they  have  almost 
invariably  elected  a  queen,  in  preference  to  kings ;  for  at  the  time 
of  the  elevation  of  Arong  Datu,  she  had  an  elder  brother,  and  a 
man  of  great  experience  in  war. 

Young  Wongso  played  with  Nawah,  a  granddaughter  of  Arong 
Datu ;  he  spoke  of  her  as  man  speaks  every  where  of  his  fondest 
memory  of  womanly  loveliness.  He  had  when  arrived  at  the  age 
of  manhood,  taken  part  in  some  hostilities  against  Goa,  the  rival 
state  of  Boui ;  when  he  returned,  he  could  take  Nawah  to  his 


GIRL    CARRIED    OFF    BY    A    TIGER. 


389 


own  campong ;  he  would  own  a  ship,  like  many  of  his  country 
men,  and  take  rich  freights  to  Batavia  and  to  Singapore. 

He  came  back,  a  warrior ;  he  could  give  the  bridal  gift  her 
father  asked ;  but  he  must  not  see  his  love,  till  the  women  had 
prepared  a  feast ;  nor  before  the  panghulu  had  spoken  the  conse 
crating  words.  Wongso  was  impatient ;  he  knew  that  his  lover 
went  with  a  company  of  young  women,  and  servants,  to  a  certain 
shaded  creek  to  bathe ;  he  went  to  watch ;  though  he  placed  his 
life  in  danger.  Nawah  wandered  a  little  way  from  her  company, 
she  ascended  the  creek  bank ;  she  was  looking  for  rare  wild  flow 
ers  ;  she  stopped,  she  stooped  to  gather  a  bloom.  Wongso  was 
near;  he  heard  a  fearful  squall,  a  bound,  and  then  beheld  his 
Nawah  borne  away  in  the  jaws  of  a  tiger. 


390  PRISON    OF   WELTEVREDEN. 

He  rushed  forward  with  wild  outcries,  the  tiger  bounding 
through  the  thicket,  and  Wongso  following.  The  beast  was  not 
full  grown ;  he  had  too  heavy  a  burden  for  his  strength,  he  bounded 
with  difficulty;  Wongso  gained  upon  him,  he  pressed  on  and  shout 
ed,  till  the  cowardly  creature  let  go  his  prey,  as  he  will  often 
do,  when  resolutely  met  or  pursued ;  and  the  lover  regained  the 
body  of  his  bride ;  but  life  was  gone,  and  no  doubt  had  fled  at 
the  first  grip  of  the  cruel  beast. 

To  be  devoured  by  a  tiger  is  a  common  fate  in  the  Archi 
pelago  ;  not  less  than  two  such  deaths  occur  every  week  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Paleinbang,  according  to  Dutch  official  report ; 
and  many  such  take  place  in  the  vicinity  of  the  British  settle 
ment  of  Singapore.  Tigers  have  been  known  to  spring  upon 
wayfarers  within  an  hour's  walk  of  the  city  of  Batavia;  and 
Baron  Van  Norden  affirmed,  that  this  terrible  beast  had,  on 
several  occasions,  at  Lahat  leaped  sheer  over  an  enclosure,  ten 
feet  high,  into  a  court-yard,  and  bounded  off  with  a  coolie,  who 
was  at  work  inside. 

His  tigership  manifests  a  decided  preference  for  the  native 
brown  skins.  If  a  European  and  Malay  or  Javanese  happen  to 
be  together,  he  will  invariably  spring  upon  the  native ;  but  -he  is 
said  by  some  to  prefer  a  good  fat  monkey  to  either ;  whilst  others 
contend  for  his  greater  partiality  to  man.  Yet  no  effort  has  ever 
been  made  by  the  people  of  the  Archipelago,  of  Sumatra  in  par 
ticular,  to  make  war  upon  this  fearful  enemy  of  their  race ;  they 
will  attack,  and  endeavor  to  kill,  any  individual  tiger,  who  has 
slain  a  relative  or  friend,  looking  upon  such  a  tiger  as  a  mur 
derer,  and  th'eir  private  enemy ;  but  they  will  make  no  indiscrim 
inate  war  upon  the  blood-thirsty  felines,  for  fear  that  they 
might  perchance  kill  an  ancestor ;  tigers  being  spoken  of  with 
great  respect ;  and  commonly  called  neneh,  or  ancestors,  by  the 


ORIENTAL    APATHY    TO    TAKE    OR    LOSE    LIFE.  391 

Malays.  Europeans  being  on  good  terms  with  the  tigers,  do 
not  choose  to  interfere  in  behalf  of  the  natives. 

Wongso  buried  Nawab  ;  he  had  eaten  all  his  heart,  had  given 
all  his  soul  for  her ;  and  there  was  no  more  joy  of  life  for  Wong 
so.  He  hated  life,  and  hated  men ;  he  went  away  from  Boni ;  he 
joined  some  pirates  of  Saleyer ;  he  helped  to  kill  the  crew  of  a 
Chinese  junk ;  after  a  time,  he  was  captured  by  a  cruiser  of  the 
Dutch  Company ;  they  would  not  put  him  to  death,  though  a 
pirate ;  he  would  make  a  good  soldier ;  he  served  in  the  campaign 
against  Bali ;  he  returned  with  his  company  to  Java ;  then  a 
Dutch  corporal  struck  him;  and  he  cut  his  throat;  for  which 
deed  he  must  hang,  because  a  soldier.  Had  he  been  out  of  the 
army,  he  would  probably  have  been  sent  to  the  prison  as  a  waiter. 

Wongso  did  not  speak  of  deeds  of  blood  with  the  dogged  in 
difference,  or  hardened  ferocity  of  the  more  civilized  assassin. 
He  did  not  feel  that  he  had  done  very  terrible  things  ;  he  had 
put  to  death  some  dogs  of  Chinamen,  and  slain  the  man  who  had 
dishonored  him  with  a 'blow;  he  felt  very  keenly  that  sense  of 
honor,  felt  by  men  of  other  races,  who  hardly  consider  the  rob 
bery  of  a  man,  or  any  lack  of  honesty,  a  stain  upon  honor ;  but 
conceive  a  tarnish  on  character  from  the  slightest  hostile  touch, 
or  a  crooked  word,  which  only  blood  can  cleanse  away.  Wongso 
entertained  orthodox  notions,  in  accordance  with  the  European 
code  of  honor.  And  his  notions  about  the  future  condition  and 
final  disposition  of  his  soul ;  if  barbarous  and  absurd ;  if  so  widely 
at  variance  with  orthodox  Christian  belief;  yet  he  believed  them 
earnestly,  and  felt,  however  strangely,  that  the  life  to  be  realized 
beyond  this  one,  was  now  his  chief  concern. 

We  talked  about  Celebes;  about  Kings,  Queens,  and  Chief 
tains  ;  about  great  wars,  ships,  temples ;  and  all  that  man  could 
be  and  do ;  about  love,  and  far-reaching  schemes ;  about  friend- 


392  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

ship,  courage  and  honor;  and  all  that  man  could  think  and  feel; 
we  talked  about  the  earth,  the  forests,  the  water ;  and  all  that 
man  controlled  or  used ;  then  about  the  sun,  moon,  stars ;  the 
pathways  traced  on  the  sea  by  skymarks  in  the  heavens ;  the  sure 
knowledge  beforehand,  of  the  darkenings  of  the  great  lights  of 
day  and  night ;  and  other  things  to  show,  how  far  beyond  this 
earth,  how  far  above  the  brutes  the  mind  of  man  did  reach. 

We  had  talked  with  simplest  words ;  the  innermost  recess  of 
the  barbarian  soul  of  Wongso  was  entered  ;  ideas,  for  which  even 
his  language  had  no  words,  began  to  dawn ;  he  had  been  met  on 
his  own  ground,  with  his  own  rude  fashion  of  thought;  he  stepped 
out  to  a  wider  circle;  he  went  on  himself;  he  felt  that  he  was 
not  taught,  he  was  only  awakened.  He  was  not  told  that  his 
belief  was  absurd ;  nor  told  any  thing,  equally  absurd  to  him ; 
but  he  felt  a  growth,  a  greater  worth  of  soul ;  his  thought  went 
on,  stretched  out  into  the  mystery  of  being,  into  a  consciousness 
of  immortality ;  and  he  began  to  feel  that  it  was  inconsistent  that 
:i  man's  soul  should  enter  into  the  existence  of  a  tiger. 

It  had  grown  late,  I  was  obliged  to  retire;  but  Wongso  beg 
ged  that  I  would  come  and  talk  with  him,  the  next  evening; 
his  last  on  this  side  of  his  grave.  The  following  day,  my  mind 
was  busy  with  thoughts  about  this  oriental  belief  in  the  change  of 
body  of  souls. 

A  belief,  said  the  lady  of  the  elder  missionary,  interrupting 
the  narrator,  the  idea  of  which,  western  philosophers  no  doubt 
got  from  the  Archipelago;  and  not  these  islanders  from  the 
western  philosophers;  it  is  a  belief  that  one  might  think  was  con 
genial  to  the  primitive  and  poetic  minds  of  the  people  of  those 
islands;  and  there  arc  many  minds,  in  the  midst  of  our  civiliza 
tion  and  enlightenment,  who  cherish  the  idea  of  an  anterior  state 


AN   ORIENTAL    MIND    AWAKENED.  393 

of  being  on  this  earth ;  the  many  mysterious  thrills  and  indistinct 
memories,  so  often  awakened,  like  echoes  from  a  hidden  world 
within,  from  a  state  of  being  gone  by ;  seem  to  tell  the  soul  of 
some  other  condition  of  being  it  has  passed  through,  and  would 
make  plausible  to  some  the  Malay  metempsychosis. 

But  the  elder  missionary  hoped  that  the  narrator  had  not 
been  alone  interested  in  speculations  upon  this  belief.  This  would 
be  explained  in  the  continuation  of  the  story  of  Wongso. 

When  the  time  of  visiting  was  over,  and  the  gates  were  closed 
for  the  night,  I  again  obtained  leave  to  talk  with  the  condemned 
man.  He  met  me  with  an  anxious  look  ;  he  had  been  thinking 
of  life  and  death,  all  day ;  and  death  seemed  more  fearful  now, 
than  before  we  had  talked  about  the  value  of  man's  soul;  he 
thought  of  the  men  whose  blood  he  had  shed ;  their  cry  and 
agony  was  in  his  ear ;  their  shortened  life,  their  defrauded  being, 
seemed  to  stand  to  his  charge ;  and  he  was  afraid  to  meet  them 
in  death ;  where  perhaps  they  might  have  power  over  him  ;  where 
perhaps  the  Ruler  of  life  might  meet  him,  and  make  him  a  slave 
to  those  he  had  robbed;  he  had  conjured  up  a  hell,  and  he  was 
terribly  afraid  of  it. 

But  he  was  led  on  to  think ;  by  the  progress  alone,  almost,  of 
his  newly  developed  reasoning ;  that  even  if  he  could  restore  the 
life,  the  peace,  and  the  property  he  had  taken  away,  he  would 
still  have  the  bad  heart,  to  do  more  evil  of  the  same  kind ;  it  did 
not  seem  to  require  any  tedious,  trained  exercise  of  reason,  to  ar 
rive  at  that  conclusion  ;  he  felt  it,  even  with  his  feeble  oriental 
mind ;  then  he  began  to  conceive  wants,  and  feel  wants,  that  be 
gan  to  startle  my  own  thoughts,  and  to  baffle  my  own  reason,  to 
satisfy ;  and  I  was  led  to  think  of  helps,  perhaps  like  many  a  one 
else,  that  I  never  thought  of  applying  to  for  myself. 
17* 


894  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

We  had  reasoned  about  a  soul ;  he  had  been  led  to  feel  that 
he  had  a  soul ;  and  that  it  was  in  a  bad  condition  for  his  present 
idi-a  of  a  future  existence.  He  seemed  to  appeal  to  me,  to  help 
him  further  on ;  but  the  civilized  was  as  helpless  as  the  unciviliz 
ed.  What  more  could  I  do  for  Wongso?  Nothing,  nothing. 
He  had  been  led  to  think,  to  feel,  that  immortality  and  a  future, 
elevated  state  of  being,  was  a  better  belief  than  that  he  should  go 
into  another  bad  mortal  like  himself,  or  a  tiger ;  but  what  hope 
of  happiness  was  there  with  this  immortality  ?  I  knew  not ; 
though  I  had  listened  to  many  proclamations  of  what  was  the 
best  foundation  for  that  hope.  There  was  no  one  to  proclaim 
it  now ;  a  few  hours  only  remained  to  Wongso ;  and  there  was 
no  more  hope  of  helps  or  counsel  from  man,  than  what  he  had 
with  him ;  and  I  felt  that  all  further  reasoning  was  in  vain.  But 
there  was  the  authority  from  whence  men  derived  the  founda 
tion  of  a  hope  of  future  bliss ;  the  Testament,  that  had  been 
given  to  me  by  the  priest;  the  Malay  Testament,  which  I  had 
prized  so  much,  as  an  aid  in  my  future  studies  of  the  Malay 
language ;  might  there  not  be  something  in  it,  that  would  satisfy 
the  heart  of  Wongso  ? 

I  certainly  had  no  idea  of  disturbing  the  mind  of  the  doomed 
man,  with  discussions  of  the  mysteries  of  the  scheme  of 
Christian  salvation ;  and  I  went  for  the  Testament,  as  a  kind  of 
refuge  from  the  responsibility  that  I  had  imposed  upon  myself, 
of  satisfying  the  mind  of  this  awakened  man,  in  some  way.  I 
first  glanced  at  some  passages,  that  spoke  of  the  evil  nature  of 
man,  the  deceitful,  desperate  nature  of  sin ;  what  was  sin,  and  its 
wages;  the  power  of  sin,  and  man's  need  of  help  to  contend 
against  it ;  then  the  history  of  the  birth  of  Christ  was  read — His 
sermon  on  the  mount ;  His  remarkable  life,  so  different  from 
any  other  man  before  or  since;  His  power,  His  miracles,  His 


A    WONDERFUL    CHANGE.  395 

meekness,  and  ardent  love  for  man;  His  suffering,  His  death,  and 
resurrection ;  then  I  read  some  of  the  words  of  the  followers  of 
Christ ;  their  testimony  as  to  all  the  facts  of  the  Saviour's  life,  the 
testimony  of  ages  and  ages,  the  belief  of  all  the  most  powerful 
nations  of  the  European  race,  perhaps  the  great  cause  of  their 
strength,  and  superiority  over  the  disbelieving  portion  of  the 
world. 

Wongso  cared  not  to  know  about  all  the  after  proofs,  and 
substantiations  of  the  existence  and  mission  of  Christ ;  he  wanted 
to  hear  more  about  what  He  said  and  did.  I  read  His  life  from 
another  evangelist ;  then  the  words  by  which  He  called  little  chil 
dren;  the  weary  and  heavy  laden;  the  sinners  in  their  sins;  hopeless, 
helpess  bad  men,  like  Wongso.  I  was  treading  paths  that  were 
strange  to  myself.  I  had  wanted  to  lighten  up  a  curious  receptacle 
of  uncivilized  darkness,  but  there  was  a  far  different  light  dawn 
ing,  than  what  I  had  conceived  of  shedding  upon  it.  The  night 
was  far  advanced,  far  on  into  the  morning  of  the  last  day  of  Wong 
so.  I  had  been  urged,  nay,  ordered  to  leave ;  but  he  clung  to 
me ;  and  the  sergeants  were  persuaded  to  let  me  stay ;  they  had 
to  keep  awake ;  this  talking  helped  to  drive  away  their  drowsi 
ness  ;  and  one  became  interested,  and  relieved  me  at  times  by 
reading  to  his  fellow-soldier. 

Wongso  begged  us  to  read  again,  and  again.  I  had  come 
with  some  enthusiasm  to  rouse  up  a  dull,  barbarian  mind,  an 
apathetic,  semi-pagan,  Mahometan  soul;  but  the  savage  showed 
an  ardor,  an  eagerness  to  find  a  something  to  satisfy  his  soul, 
in  launching  into  the  future,  that  shamed  my  weariness.  He 
wanted  to  hear,  more,  more ;  and  all  about  Christ,  that  called 
bad  men  to  come  unto  Him  with  broken  hearts.  The  sergeant 
who  read,  became  roused  up ;  ho  wept,  he  wished  the  good 
dominie  he  had  so  often  listened  to  when  a  boy,  were  here ;  he 


396  PRFRON    OF    WELTEVRKDEN. 

proposed  that  we  should  do,  what  he  had  often  done  before  ho 
became  a  soldier ;  that  we  should  pray ;  and  the  soldier  and  the 
two  prisoners  knelt  down ;  and  the  soldier  raised  up  his  voice, 
appealing  to  a  throne  of  grace,  for  mercy  upon  his  own  sinfulness, 
and  praying  that  the  man  whom  he  was  guarding  unto  his  death 
in  this  world,  might  be  raised  up  unto  eternal  life  in  another  and 
a  better  one. 

Wongso  wept,  as  the  sergeant  wept ;  he  continued  to  weep ; 
he  thought  not  of  his  soon  being  raised  on  a  gallows  for  his 
crimes ;  but  of  One,  who  had  been  raised  up  ignominiously,  for 
what  such  as  he  had  done.  It  was  a  terrible  scene,  the  agitation, 
the  weeping  of  that  murderer.  But  he  was  becoming  calmer; 
was  his  animal  nerve  giving  way  ?  was  this  a  reaction  of  mental 
excitement  ?  perhaps  so ;  but  Wongso  said  that  he  believed  in 
Christ ;  not  the  "  prophet  Jesus ;  "  but  Him,  who  died  for  sin 
ners  ;  and  now  Wongso  was  not  afraid  to  die. 

The  sergeant  said  something  about  baptism;  a  necessary 
stamp  of  Christianity;  that  could  not  be  complied  with  now. 
Wongso  had  heard  of  it,  and  his  mind  was  disturbed ;  but  still 
lost  no  hope ;  nor  felt  that  all  would  be  lost,  if  he  died  without 
it.  The  sergeant  had  read,  and  I  had  read,  that  many  earnest 
Christians  believed  that  unconsecrated,  and  even  hands  of  sinful 
and  unregeneratcd  men,  might,  in  extremity,  perform  for  a  dying 
fellow-being  the  formula  of  this  sacrament.  If  it  was  not  so; 
yet  still  the  unsatisfied  point  in  the  mind  of  Wongso,  would  be 
relieved.  A  bowl  of  water  was  obtained,  was  poured  on  to  the 
head  of  Wongso ;  and  he  was  baptized  by  a  follow  sinner,  in  the 
name  of  the  Holy,  Almighty  and  Everlasting  Trinity. 

It  was  now  nearly  daybreak ;  at  six  o'clock,  the  sun  rose ; 
and  at  seven,  the  guard  would  come  for  the  prisoner.  I  left  the 
Testament  with  the  sergeant ;  Wongso  wished  to  hear  something 


THE  BARBARIAN'S  HOPE.  397 

read  to  the  last.  I  said  some  parting  words,  he  wept  again ;  but 
seemed  to  possess  a  joy,  that  I  did  not  understand.  All  that  I 
had  done,  was  to  help  to  ease  the  mind  of  an  unfortunate  man. 
He  had  given  some  directions  that  were  to  be  communicated  to 
the  judge  advocate,  that  all  the  little  property  he  possessed  should 
be  given  to  the  family  of  the  man  he  had  murdered ;  he  gave 
eleven  rupees  to  the  sergeant  to  buy  two  Testaments  in  the 
Malay  language ;  the  same,  as  the  one  from  which  I  had  read,  to 
be  given  to  two  of  his  comrades  in  prison,  who  could  read.  He 
begged  of  me  to  go  and  talk  to  them.  The  time  came  to  part ; 
I  asked  him  to  raise  up  his  right  hand  to  heaven  the  moment 
before  they  pinioned  him,  under  the  gallows,  as  a  sign  that  his 
heart  felt  strong  to  the  last ;  and  with  profound  emotion  I  parted 
with  Wongso. 

A  solemn  roll  of  the  drum ;  and  harsh  voices  of  command, 
roused  up  the  prison  at  sunrise.  A  guard  entered  the  court ;  the 
sergeants  delivered  up  their  charge ;  and  I  saw  one  wipe  his  eyes, 
with  his  sleeve,  as  he  turned  away  from  the  man,  whose  moments 
were  counted.  The  turnkey  afforded  me  an  opportunity  to  see 
through  the  grating,  that  overlooked  the  field  of  death.  Long 
lines  of  troops  were  formed  into  a  hollow  square,  the  bayonets 
glistened  in  the  sun,  the  horses  of  a  commanding  officer  and  his 
staff  pranced  about  the  field,  loud  voices  resounded ;  and  there 
was  great  stir  and  pride  of  warlike  array. 

In  the  centre  of  all  this,  was  the  gloomy  gallows ;  a  man,  in 
a  dark  robe,  the  judge  advocate,  stood  with  a  roll,  the  death 
warrant  in  his  hand ;  he  read  it  to  "Wongso,  who  stood  near  him ; 
then  a  man  in  uniform,  a  military  sheriff,  took  the  regimental 
coat,  and  cap,  from  off  Wongso ;  he  was  degraded  as  a  soldier 
upon  earth;  and  was  given  up  to  the  hangman;  then  Wongso 
mounted  steps ;  and  before  the  cords  were  passed  around  him,  he 


398 


PHISON    OF    WELTEVKEDEN. 


made  the  sign,  lie  raised  up  his  right  hand  towards  heaven,  affirm 
ing,  at  his  last  moments  on  earth,  that  he  was  a  steadfast  soldier 
of  the  Cross. 


I  saw  no  more ;  I  could  not  look  upon  the  horrible  mode  of 
Dutch  hanging.  It  is  not  enough  to  kill  a  man ;  hut  he  must 
realize  the  most  excruciating  agony  that  is  possible  to  be  felt  by 
the  body  of  man,  before  he  is  strangled.  I  cannot  give  the  de 
tails,  but  look  into  their  laws  upon  death ;  a  man  to  be  hung  is 
so  foully  bound,  that  ere  his  neck  is  broken  his  bowels  are  torn, 
I  heard  a  signal  tap,  a  solemn  roll  of  the  drum ;  a  man  had  gone 
to  the  land  of  souls ;  and  then  the  band  struck  up  a  lively  tune 
as  the  troops  marched  back  to  their  quarters. 

The  elder  missionary  after  some  comments  upon  the  probable 
salvation  of  Wongso;  and  the  fitness  of  the  instrumentality  em- 


THE    SOULS    AND    TRADE    OF    THE    EAST.  399 

ployed ;  went  on  to  say,  that  the  mind  of  the  western  world 
seemed  to  have  been  beating  in  vain  against  the  externals  of 
Oriental  prejudice ;  we  had  been  continually  battling  with  our 
common  sense  against  their  absurdities,  without  the  pains  to  con 
sider  these  absurdities,  which  were  comprehension  to  them ;  we 
missionaries,  I  am  afraid,  have  acted  like  the  people  seeking  gain  ; 
we  have  sat  down  at  the  outskirts,  the  outports  of  the  Oriental 
mind  and  character;  where  we  have  been  content  to  erect  the 
stiff  forms  of  our  own  rigid,  common-sense  temperate  clime,  wait 
ing  for  the  dreamy,  imaginative  Oriental  to  come  round  to  us. 
He  has  not  come ;  he  has  felt  nothing  at  the  hands  of  the  Eu 
ropean,  but  a  harsh  manifestation  of  supremacy  of  skill  and  in 
tellectual  power,  his  sympathetic  nature  has  revolted  at  this ;  the 
avenues,  which  reach  him,  through  his  moral  convictions,  have 
been  closed ;  and  the  millions  and  hundreds  of  millions  in  the 
East  pass  away,  uninfluenced  to  the  slightest  extent  by  European 
dominion  and  enlightenment. 

Surely,  the  souls  of  men  should  be  esteemed  worth  some 
thing,  even  to  a  trader ;  but  certain  millions  of  pounds  of  pepper  in 
Sumatra,  are  more  zealously  sought  after  and  considered,  than 
the  millions  of  Malays  on  the  island ;  and  yet  the  Malay  seems  to 
have  a  destiny,  that  will  affect  all  the  relations  of  trade,  in  the 
great  treasure  ground  of  commerce.  He  advances ;  we  have  abun 
dant  evidence  that  he  is  taking  possession  of  every  outpost  and 
highway,  that  lies  between  the  Pacific  and  the  Indian  Ocean,  in 
the  great  trading  centre  of  the  world ;  he  flourishes  in  a  region 
in  which  the  European  wastes  away,  after  the  second  generation, 
a  third  being  rarely  ever  perpetuated ;  the  European,  who  can 
never  colonize  the  Archipelago,  but  must  always  look  forward  to 
the  Malay,  as  the  chief  instrument  in  the  production  of  what  he 
so  much  covets ;  might  it  not  be,  even  to  the  interest  of  his 
pocket,  to  stoop  to  closer  relations,  to  enter  with  some  fraternal 


400  riMSM\    ol     WKLTEVREDEN. 

touch  into  the  sympathies  of  those,  who  must  be  the  perpetual 
producers  of  spices  and  other  precious  things  of  the  commerce  of 
the  East. 

What  is  the  glory  of  a  so-called  merchant  prince,  who  has 
gathered  a  great  hoard  of  money  ?  who  has  reared  a  huge  pile  of 
brick  and  stone,  who  has  filled  it  with  mere  pamperings  of  the 
body  ;  who  has  fenced  himself  around,  and  sat  down,  content  to 
gaze  for  the  rest  of  his  days  at  his  sordid  substance,  made  out  of 
advantageous  barter  with  simple  pepper  growers,  coffee  planters, 
and  gum  gatherers ;  who  are  herding  in  the  forest,  and  brutified 
with  the  vile  belief,  that  their  soul  will  pass  into  a  tiger ;  whilst 
the  intelligent  European,  who  is  glorying  in  the  substance  wrung 
out  of  their  feeble  hands  for  a  small,  and  often  hurtful  exchange, 
is  looking  forward  complacently  in  a  cushioned  pew,  in  some 
church,  partly  of  his  building,  to  the  heaven  that  his  hired 
preacher  promises  him. 

The  world  is  not  to  be  all  Caucasian ;  it  needs  the  contrast  of 
stronger  and  weaker  brethren ;  of  the  practical  and  the  intel 
lectual;  with  the  sympathetic  and  imaginative;  the  Caucasian 
ceases  to  be  such  within  the  tropics  ;  his  superiority  is  only  a  little 
more  oxygen,  that  belongs  to  his  temperate  latitude.  That  man 
is  a  vulger  egotist,  who  exults  in  the  accidental  advantage  of  his 
greater  strength  over  his  weaker  brother ;  the  fancies  and  dreams 
of  the  one,  should  have  a  place  as  well  as  the  bold  conceptions  of 
the  other ;  flowers  fill  the  eye,  as  much  as  great  trees,  and  repay  as 
much  by  their  cultivation.  The  European  should  cultivate  the 
friendship  of  the  Malay  !  whilst  seeking  out  routes  for  trade,  he 
should  look  for  pathways  into  the  sympathies  of  his  soul.,  and  call 
forth  all  his  pleasant  fancies  and  dreams ;  or  shall  he  be  always 
met  with  the  sordid  selfishnes  of  the  trader ;  and  be  left  to  his 
viciousness  and  piracy,  instead  of  encouraged  to  bring  forth  the 
and  songs  of  his  laud  ! 


FORTY-SEVENTH  DAY. 

The  seventh  month  of  my  stay  in  prison  had  come ;  and  with 
it,  the  arrival  of  Resident  De  Brauw  and  his  Assistant.  The 
Phoenix  and  the  Borneo  had  sought  in  vain  for  evidence  against 
me,  throughout  the  Archipelago.  To  have  a  witness,  some  one 
besides  my  Malay  servants,  some  one,  who  could  testify  to  some 
thing;  it  was  necessary  to  send  for  the  Royal  Adjutant;  the 
proud  Governor  of  Palembang.  He  must  have  met  his  late 
guest  and  prisoner  with  chagrined  feelings ;  after  dooming  him 
to  death,  still  to  find  him,  after  a  lapse  of  more  than  half  a  year, 
disturbing  his  government ;  and  disturbing  him  in  his  quiet  at 
Palembang,  far  more  than  any  number  of  successfully  transmitted 
letters  to  all  the  Sultans  of  Sumatra  could  have  done. 

We  met  at  the  Stadhuis,  whither  I  was  carried  by  the  friendly 
Sheriff  Brower;  we  met  for  confrontation,  the  late  guest  and 
host ;  the  prisoner  of  Weltevreden,  and  the  witness  De  Brauw. 
There  was  no  occasion  for  much  courtesy  of  feeling ;  perhaps  a 
spirit  of  vindictiveness  ruled  at  the  time,  and  charity  was  all  for 
gotten.  De  Brauw  was  led  to  believe,  that  the  brutality  of  a 
naval  Commander,  and  the  natural  treachery  of  some  of  his  own 
Malay  police,  were  not  held  in  such  low  estimation  as  the  part  he 
had  acted ;  he  was  led  to  believe  that  he  was  looked  upon  as  a  false 
hearted  man,  notwithstanding  the  romantic  incident  of  the  silver 


402  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

heart;  and  it  so  happened  that  he  stood  before  a  judge,  the  good 
judge,  who  permitted  him  to  hear  all  this. 

The  mulatto  Assistant  had  an  evil-looking  face,  traced  deep 
with  treachery ;  yet  he  was  but  a  small  man,  this  son  of  the  ne- 
grcss  of  Surinam  ;  though  so  useful  to  the  Dutch  Government 
at  Palembang.  It  could  not  be  made  manifest,  how  far  he  had 
been  serviceable  in  the  production  of  a  certain  hostile  letter  ad 
dressed  to  a  Sumatran  prince ;  but  enough  was  said,  to  assure 
him  that  more  than  one  of  those  who  spoke  with  him  during  the 
confrontation,  believed  that  he  had  taken  a  large  share  in  the 
dictation ;  and  the  assurance  seemed  to  give  a  deeper  shade  to 
his  dark  face. 

The  crew  of  the  Flirt  were  re-examined.  Some  time  was 
spent  in  trying  to  find  an  interpreter ;  who  could  understand 
Pirez.  They  found  a  Portuguese,  who  had  lived  on  the  western 
coast  of  Africa.  Great  efforts  were  made,  not  by  the  examining 
judge,  but  by  an  underling  of  the  Attorney  General,  to  draw  out 
the  boy  : — he  had  been  so  much  near  me ;  he  must  know  a  great 
deal  of  what  I  had  said  and  done.  He  had  been  badgered  for  a 
time,  in  vain ;  but  he  was  getting  weary ;  he  seemed  about  to 
yield ;  and  had  something  to  tell,  that  would  gratify  the  inquisi 
tors  ;  he  had  heard  his  master  say,  one  night  at  Palembang,  a 
dark  night,  standing  by  the  starboard  shrouds,  on  board  the 
Flirt ;  yes,  standing  by  the  starboard  shrouds  ;  that, — well  what 
was  it  ? — that  his  master  said  that  his  Dutch  visitors  wanted  to 
drink  too  much  beer;  more  than  he  cared  to  supply. 

All  this  examining  was  carried  on  in  a  loose  and  irregular 
way ;  the  usual  mode  is,  that  a  commissary  judge  takes  the  place 
of  a  grand  jury  at  home,  to  examine  accused  and  witnesses,  to 
determine  the  probabilities  of  guilt ;  and  the  result  would  be,  a 
report  whether  the  case  should  be  brought  into  judicature,  made 


ANOTHER    LIBERATION.  403 

the  subject  of  a  public  trial,  or  not ;  but  in  my  case,  the  chief 
solicitor  of  the  government,  not  the  Fiskaal  attached  to  the  Court 
of  Justice,  took  an  active  part  to  ferret  out  some  little  circum 
stance,  some  little  peg  upon  which  to  rest  the  charge  of  "  high 
treason;"  first  made  by  De  Brauw  in  his  despatch  to  the 
Governor  General,  and  afterwards  maintained  by  the  Government 
of  Netherland  India. 

Notwithstanding  the  zeal,  and  the  prolonged  efforts  of  the 
Government  officers ;  the  Court  of  Justice  of  Batavia,  after 
numberless  examinations,  after  a  long  deliberation,  arrived  at  the 
conclusion,  that  there  were  "  no  grounds  for  prosecution  in  the 
case,"  no  foundation  for  a  trial ;  that  the  accused  should  be  im 
mediately  set  at  liberty,  and  restored  to  his  property ;  and  this 
decision  was  recorded,  and  a  copy  served  upon  me,  on  the  25th 
August  1852.  In  this  decision,  the  Court  of  Justice  had  been 
assisted  by  the  Fiskaal,  or  prosecutor,  who  in  a  requisition,  a  doc 
ument  of  the  date  of  the  18th  of  the  month,  fully  set  forth  that 
there  were  no  grounds  for  the  charge  of  misdemeanor,  as  alleged 
against  the  late  commander  of  the  Flirt. 

I  thought  that  I  would  surely  go  free  ;  and  to  return  no  more 
this  time.  I  had  packed  up  the  slight  baggage  of  my  prison ; 
and  was  awaiting  the  carriage  of  my  young  friend ;  when  Brower 
came  with  an  unwelcome,  look,  with  a  decree  from  the  High 
Court,  the  tribunal  of  appointees  of  the  Crown,  that  deliberates 
in  secret,  and  gives  no  man  a  chance  to  speak  for  himself;  which 
reversed  the  decision  of  the  Court  of  Justice,  and  decreed  my 
continued  detention  in  prison.  The  friendly  Fiskaal  was  removed, 
and  the  underling  of  the  Attorney  General,  a  clerk  of  his 
bureau,  was  appointed  instead  of  the  former  lenient  prosecutor ; 
some  changes  were  made  in  the  Court  of  Justice;  and  it  was 


40  t  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

moreover  decreed  that  the  inquisition  that  had  been  going  on  for 
seven  months,  should  be  all  gone  over  again. 

The  examinations  were  held  at  intervals,  during  a  period  of 
four  months  more.  What  I  was  questioned  about,  what  others 
had  to  say  concerning  my  case,  during  all  this  time ;  during  this 
rclabor  of  such  well-wrought  ground,  is  now  a  matter  of  wonder 
ment  to  think  of;  how  all  the  petty  details  of  past  life  and 
habits,  were  hunted  out  of  some  imagined  admissions,  out  of  some 
old  papers,  and  many  people's  fancies ;  how  the  politics  and  social 
state  of  America  were  brought  forth  ;  the  proneness  of  its  people 
to  association,  to  adventure,  to  study,  and  to  do  as  they  pleased, 
how  all  this  questioning,  about  every  thing,  but  the  matter  in 
point,  whether  I  dictated  and  sent  a  certain  seditious  letter  to 
the  Sultan  of  Jambee,  or  not;  how  all  this  grew  daily  into  great 
volumes  of  judicial  docket,  is  still  a  wonderment  to  my  thought ; 
and  may  be  looked  upon  by  some  after  inquirer,  as  a  remarkable 
monument  of  labor,  stupidity,  espionage  and  perversion  of  justice 
in  Netherland  India. 

But  I  shall  pass  over  the  circumstances  of  these  questionings  ; 
pass  over  a  description  of  the  attempted  brow-beating  exploits  of 
a  lawyer  ;  and  of  all  that  was  done  to  meet  them.  The  arrogance 
and  craft  of  the  one ;  or  the  caution  and  tact  of  the  other,  will 
add  nothing  to  the  interest,  which  it  is  desired  to  call  forth  ; 
an  interest  in  a  race  of  which  there  were  some  opportunities  to 
gain  a  deeper  and  more  startling  knowledge,  during  the  intervals 
of  the  harassing  of  the  law  and  of  law's  delays  in  Weltevreden. 

Sahyeepah  came  to  the  prison  with  her  sister  to  return  the 
map  she  had  taken  away ;  she  had  studied  all  the  colored  com 
partments,  knew  all  the  names  of  countries,  as  linked  with  beast 
or  bird  ;  had  read  all  the  notes ;  and  was  prepared  to  give  her 
grandfather  great  gladness  with  her  knowledge,  when  she  returned 


A   REMARKABLE    MALAY    MIND.  405 

to  Sumatra.  But  such  love  for  study  was  rare  in  any  woman,  in 
any  region  of  the  world ;  and  still  more  to  seek  to  pursue  it  in  a 
prison ;  there  surely  must  have  been  some  interest  beyond  the 
study,  to  such  a  mind,  to  a  tropic-born  heathen  girl,  to  a  Malay 
young  woman's  soul ;  and  something  there  was,  no  doubt,  disturb 
ing  the  artless  thought  of  one  and  puzzling  the  mind  of  the  other. 
But  a  desire  to  learn  European  wisdom,  had  been  a  ruling 
thought  before  the  Flirt  went  to  Palembang;  for  this  was  no  com 
mon  mind,  a  remarkable  one  to  be  met  with  among  Caucasian, 
as  well  as  Malay. 

I  had  taken  rambles  far  upon  many  strange  paths  into  the 
native  Oriental  mind  ;  I  had  entered  many  curious  regions  of 
fancy  and  feelings ;  and  I,  who  had  often  regretted  that  the  world 
was  so  small,  so  quickly  explored,  so  thoroughly  known,  wishing 
at  one  time  for  young  adventure's  sake,  that  its  girth  were  one 
hundred  thousand  miles,  instead  of  twenty-five ;  I  now  began  to 
feel  that  there  were  rarer  fields  of  exploration  in  the  un 
measured,  unexplored  human  soul ;  in  many  strange  varieties  of 
race,  than  all  that  might  meet  the  eye  in  a  limitless  space  of  mere 
earth  and  sea. 

I  had  contemplated  with  some  interest  a  quick  and  marvel 
lous  Malay  mind,  and  a  fervent  young  Malay  heart ;  but  I  had 
become  wrought  up  by  late  scenes,  touched  with  sympathies  for  a 
race,  and  moved  to  the  maintenance  of  a  character,  that  inspired 
me  with  a  feeling  to  save  myself;  if  not  before  the  rest  of  the 
world,  at  least  from  any  sign  of  weakness  before  them.  Some 
enthusiasm,  the  offspring  of  a  strange  experience,  caused  me  to 
meet  the  love  of  learning  of  Sahyeepah,  as  the  sole  ground  upon 
which  we  might  stand  together ;  and  further  events,  a  further 
growth  of  the  thought  in  the  one,  and  observation  in  the  other, 


406  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEX. 

made  it  desirable  to  maintain  the  relative  position,  the  teacher  and 
pupil,  the  master  and  disciple,  in  which  we  had  met. 

And  Sahyeepah  came  and  sat  down  in  prison,  and  listened  to 
talk  of  many  things ;  beginning  with  some  of  the  absurdities  of 
the  dreams  of  her  own  race,  and  then  advancing  to  the  region  of 
reason ;  and  thus  on  to  an  enlarged  consciousness  of  soul.  It  was 
not  so  strange  for  her  to  listen  to  all  this  now ;  as  it  was  for  the 
other  to  so  unfold  himself  in  such  a  place,  to  such  a  person ;  all 
had  been  strange  to  her,  the  first  word,  the  first  thought,  coming 
from  what  seemed  to  her  and  her  people,  a  superior  and  wonder 
working  race ;  and  her  object  in  coming  to  listen,  was  childlike 
curiosity  and  wonder;  whilst  the  other,  though  not  seeking  this 
encounter,  now  sought  in  the  curious  interest  of  it,  a  study  of  a 
remarkable  Oriental  character,  the  analysis,  never  to  be  re 
alized  in  the  midst  of  civilization,  of  a  woman's  nature;  and 
some  antidote  against  the  lethargy  and  stagnation  of  some  prison 
hours. 

We  went  over  some  of  the  same  ground,  that  had  been  gone 
over  with  Wongso ;  and  in  regard  to  the  worth  of  the  human 
soul,  the  granddaughter  of  Panyorang  Laksana,  conceived  as 
quickly,  some  enlarged  and  Christian  conceptions,  as  the  Celebes 
soldier ;  but  she  felt  no  anxiety,  expressed  no  curiosity  with  re 
gard  to  any  future  disposition  of  soul;  and  none  for  a. time  was 
discussed. 

Curiosity  was  led  on  from  the  map  to  various  other  studies ; 
the  Book  that  had  proven  of  so  much  consolation  to  Wongso ; 
a  Malay  story,  the  romance  of  Ghralaam ;  some  chapters  of  the 
Bidyasari ;  a  Malay  translation  of  the  Kamaina ;  some  chron 
icles  of  Madjapahit;  the  exploits  of  Panji;  a  Javanese  metric 
legend  of  the  wars  of  Browijoyo ;  and  a  collection  of  Malay  pan- 
tuns  in  manuscript ;  these  afforded  themes,  of  such  novelty  and 


THE    FAMILY    OF    SAIIYEEPAH.  407 

interest,  as  won  the  curiosity,  and  some  labor  of  study,  from  Um- 
bah,  Sahyecpah,  and  their  fellow-student  in  Weltevreden. 

Sahyeepah  came  a  second  time  with  her  sister,  then  with  her 
brother,  who  had  returned  from  Cheribon ;  and  then  I  saw  the 
father.  Wirojoyo  was  a  man  of  some  little  rank  in  Java;  he 
had  been  a  deniang  of  a  dessa,  or  small  town  near  Samarang; 
ho  had  been  suspected  in  earlier  years,  of  favoring  the  cause  of 
Deepo  Negoro,  who  threatened  the  existence  of  Dutch  dominion 
in  Java,  at  one  time ;  at  a  later  period,  he  had  been  again  sus 
pected  of  a*hostile  disposition  to  the  Grovernment,  and  of  selling 
arms  to  the  insurgent  people  of  Bali ;  and  this  led  to  a  deposi 
tion  from  the  authority  and  emoluments  of  his  native  rank.  He 
engaged  in  commerce ;  he  owned  several  prahus ;  and  was  an  ac 
tive  successful  man  in  trade.  He  was  married  for  the  third  time, 
the  mothers  of  Diporo  Kasumo,  Sareena,  and  Sahyeepah,  being 
both  dead.  Wirojoyo  was  a  quiet,  honest,  incurious  character; 
submissive  and  truthful  like  the  rest  of  his  countrymen ;  and  the 
son  and  daughter  by  the  first,  the  Javanese  wife,  resembled  him ; 
but  Sahyeepah,  the  child  of  the  Sumatran  mother,  was  curious, 
sensitive,  proud,  high-toned,  like  the  old  Sumatran  aristocrat',  her 
grandfather 

Wirojoyo  and  his  Javanese  son  and  daughter  came,  and  smiled 
with  good-humored  indifference  at  what  was  talked  about,  and 
studied  along  with  Sahyeepah  in  prison.  They  had  liked  me  at 
first,  because  their  old  relative  in  Sumatra  had  taken  such  an  in 
terest  ;  by  and  by,  their  Javanese  sympathies  were  touched,  and 
then  they  liked  me  on  my  own  account.  It  was  a  curious  thing 
to  have  a  European,  one  of  the  race  of  their  masters,  for  a 
friend ;  it  was  a  matter  of  novel  interest  to  have  him  commune 
with  them ;  to  have  him  as  they  thought  come  down  to  them ; 
and  then  they  to  go  up  to  him ;  to  hear  no  talk  but  of  their 


408  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

pleasantest  fancies  and  sympathies ;  no  want  for  their  service , 
but  rather  to  serve  them.  They  clothed  me  with  the  extravagant 
attire  of  their  active  fancies ;  there  was  nothing  too  strange  for  me 
to  propose,  too  .curious  to  happen.  It  was  not  too  great  a  wonder 
ment-  to  these  oriental  minds,  that  their  daughter  and  sister  should 
like  a  man,  and  show  it ;  it  was  perfectly  consistent  with  their 
customs  that  she  should  go  abroad,  even  more  freely  than  in 
European  countries ;  and  so,  after  the  novelty  of  the  first  ad 
ventures  to  the  prison,  the  after  visits  became  matter  of  every 
day  incident ;  and  Wirojoyo  and  his  Javanese  son  ajjd  daughter 
seemed  only  to  think,  that  when  the  house  of  care  should  open 
its  gates  for  the  American  Tuan ;  there  would  be  rejoicing  on  the 
Moosie  and  the  Ogan ;  but  what  part  their  curious,  studious,  en 
thusiastic  daughter  and  sister  might  take  in  that  rejoicing, 
never  entered  their  unmanoevering,  uuspeculating,  simple  Javanese 
minds. 

And  Sahyeepah,  the  unsophisticated  child  of  Sumatra,  un 
trained  and  unskilled  in  the  art  of  civilization,  though  so  graced 
with  the  finest  manifestations  of  humanity ;  she  knew  nothing  of 
possible  compromise  of  position ;  she  was  of  an  age  it  is  true  to 
feel  the  full  extent  of  all  of  woman's  relations  in  life ;  and  they 
are  supposed  to  be  so  quickly  realized  in  the  East ;  but  not  so 
much,  when  undisturbed,  as  in  the  sentiment-stimulated  souls  of 
women  of  the  West.  The  Malay  young  woman,  whilst  left  to 
herself  in  the  quiet  of  her  paternal  home,  dreams  of  no  adven 
ture  beyond  the  achievements  in  dyeing  and  embroidery  within 
the  walls  of  that  home ;  and  it  did  seem  that  Sahyeepah  had 
dreamed  of  none  that  had  relation  to  an  interest  in  another  sex,  be 
yond  this;  she  had  listened  to  stirring  tales  of  the  ancestry  of  her 
grandfather,  Arab  and  Malay ;  she  had  listened  to  his  hate  of  the 
Dutch,  and  wild  hope  of  restoration  of  the  royal  race  of  the  sacred 


MALAY    ENTHUSIASM    AND    AMBITION.  409 

city,  of  the  once  mighty  Menangkabau ;  she  had  heard  read  in 
her  grandfather's  house,  so  many  legends  and  pantuns,  that 
spoke  of  renown  and  power  to  come  for  the  Malay  people ;  of 
royal  women  who  ruled,  of  princesses,  young  maidens  like  herself, 
reverenced,  and  obeyed  by  a  whole  people ;  she  had  thought  of 
these  things,  her  grandfather  had  watched  her  dreamings ;  and 
some  of  my  words,  when  in  Sumatra,  touched  some  of  the  secret 
dreams  of  the  ambitious  grandfather  and  the  enthusiastic  grand 
daughter. 

This  unsophisticated  daughter  of  Sumatra  was  perhaps  am 
bitious  too ;  a  feeling  that  has  been  shown  by  many  Malay 
women ;  and  rarely  ever  by  a  single  Malay  man ;  never  to  the 
extent  of  any  heroic  exertion  or  sacrifice ;  but  the  women  of  the 
Archipelago  have  shown  it  to  the  extent  of  disdaining  the  common 
weaknesses  of  their  sex ;  or  rather  overlooking  them, — not  feeling 
their  force,  not  having  been  acted  upon  by  any  nature  of  their 
own  race,  who  could  awaken  an  interest  superior  to  this  strange 
enthusiasm,  as  in  the  case  of  Sahyeepah. 

She  had  no  thought  of  compromise  of  womanly  position  ;  and 
her  feelings  had  evidently  been  too  indeterminate  to  disturb  her, 
or  to  make  her  think  that  there  was  a  relation  in  life  to  be  cared 
for ;  she  had  had  thoughts  and  curious  dreams  of  a  pomp  and 
royal  state,  that  had  belonged  to  some  one  of  her  ancestors, — of  its 
restoration  again ;  and  perhaps  in  her  person ;  when  the  Dutch 
should  be  driven  out  of  Sumatra ;  and  then  she  would  ride  upon 
a  white  elephant,  and  thousands  of  people  would  touch  their  fore 
heads  to  the  ground  before  her ; — then  whilst  dreaming  of  this,  she 
had  heard  words  about  European  skill  and  power,  from  one  whom 
she  and  her  grandfather  thought  of  a  superior  race  to  the  one  they 
feared  and  hated ;  they  had  listened  with  wonderment,  they  had 
longed  to  hear  more,  they  wanted  to  believe  that  the  visit  of  that 
18 


410  PRISON    OP    WELTEVREDEN. 

American  ship  and  her  commander  was  not  a  dream  ;  they  followed 
him  in  sympathy ;  and  then  one  did  in  person,  even  to  a  prison. 

Sahyeepah  came  with  her  father,  brother,  and  sister ;  but  they 
could  not  come  as  often  as  she  wished,  nor  stay  to  hear  talk  about 
things  for  which  the  poor  people  of  Java  could  have  no  use.  By 
and  by,  an  old  nurse  of  Sahyeepah,  called  Ayum,  came  from 
Cheribon,  and  accompanied  her  young  mistress ;  and  they  always 
had  the  escort  of  Pirez ;  and  sometimes  of  Umbah  and  Bassett. 
The  jailer  was  easy  in  his  prison  discipline  towards  me,  for  several 
months  after  the  visit  of  the  "  St.  Mary's ;  "  he  had  been  curious 
about  the  visits  of  the  Javanese  family ;  and  he  had  evidently 
been  much  questioned  about  them  at  head-quarters  ;  but  the  curi 
ous  dyed  cloths  in  which  I  had  taken  an  interest,  for  articles  of 
dress, — the  sewing  that  was  done  for  me ;  and  all  the  commonplace, 
business  appearances  that  were  put  upon  these  native  visitings, 
fully  satisfied  the  jailer  and  his  employers. 

The  turnkey  was  completely  bought  over  to  my  interest ; 
though  I  knew  that  the  brutal  old  dragoon  watched  me  as  keenly 
as  ever,  for  any  false  move  on  my  part, — the  report  of  which  would 
insure  him  reward  and  favor  from  those  he  served.  But  in  the 
matter  of  little  privileges  which  a  turnkey  controlled ;  and  all 
that  he  could  sell,  were  entirely  at  my  disposal ;  he  fully  under 
stood  when  he  might  show  up  his  chief  lion  to  visitors,  and  when  not 
to  do  so ;  he  was  careful  not  to  have  my  Javanese  calls  intruded 
upon ;  he  would  sometimes  open  a  door,  and  make  a  satisfactory 
explanation  to  an  obstinate  sentinel  at  an  unseasonable  hour ;  he 
managed  the  introduction  of  visitors  with  all  the  tact  and  profit 
to  himself,  of  a  well-skilled  flunkey,  who  manages  the  avenues, 
— the  ante-chamber  leading  to  an  employer's  presence. 

There  was  a  class  of  visitors,  the  Malay  and  Chinese  peddlers, 
who  came  at  certain  hours,  and  could  sell  certain  small  permitted 


THE   PEDDLER    AND    THE    MESSAGE.  411 

articles  to  the  prisoners ;  these  did  not  occupy  any  of  Tutup's 
care  ;  except  to  levy  a  heavy  black  mail  upon  tobacco,  whenever 
any  new  trader  unfamiliar  with  the  tariffs  of  the  prison,  made  an 
unwise  outward  show  of  a  stock  of  that  article.  One  of  these,  a 
Javanese,  came  one  day,  and  interrupted  some  study  with  Umbah 
and  Sahyeepah.  Nothing  was  wanted;  and  the  peddler  was 
told  to  go  away ;  still  he  importuned  more  than  usual,  to  have 
me  only  look  at  something  he  had  to  show;  he  said  he  had 
very  curious  articles  of  the  manufacture  of  Poorwacarta  in  Kraw- 
ang ;  Sahyeepah  spoke,  at  the  mention  of  this ;  what  did  they 
make  in  Krawang,  that  was  not  made  in  all  Java  ? — they  made 
most  marvellous  little  boxes  from  buffalo  horn ; — but  I  had  no  use 
for  such  a  thing ; — still  I  would  find  this  one  very  curious,  if  I 
would  only  look  at  it.  The  importunity  of  the  man  made  me  look 
at  him ;  he  did  not  seem  like  a  peddler,  and  he  looked  at  me,  as 
though  he  had  something  to  communicate.  I  went  near  him ;  he 
had  his  finger  upon  a  letter  among  his  wares ;  he  put  it  into  the 
little  box  ;  which  I  bought ;  and  he  immediately  left  the  prison. 

When  my  company  had  gone,  I  inspected  the  contents  of  my 
purchase.  A  message  of  deepest  interest,  from  a  man  whom  I 
wished  to  see  above  all  others  in  Java.  It  is  not  necessary  that 
I  should  say  what  was  that  message,  or  from  whom  it  came ;  my 
only  object  in  alluding  to  it,  was  to  mention  the  cause  that  gave 
rise  to  an  incident  of  peculiar  adventure  and  heroism, — the  details 
of  which  will  introduce  you  a  little  into  the  heart  of  the  great 
island  of  Java ;  as  far  as  the  imperial  residence  of  Solo  or  Sura- 
karta — a  vestige  of  the  once  great  empires  of  Madjapahit  and 
Matarem. 

I  had  a  great  desire  to  find  a  faithful  messenger,  who  would 
carry  a  message  to  the  Javanese  imperial  city.  There  was  Pirez, 
faithful  and  courageous  enough ;  but  the  Government  would  never 


412  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

give  him  a  passport  to  go  into  the  interior ;  and  his  fear-inspir 
ing  physiognomy  would  attract  too  much  attention,  if  he  at 
tempted  a  clandestine  expedition ;  the  rest  of  my  sailors  were 
still  more  unfitted ;  the  Baron  was  disposed  to  do  most  extraordina 
ry  things  for  me  ;  but  he  was  wholly  unsuited  to  aid  me  now,  to  do 
this,  I  sounded  the  temper  and  adventurous  spirit  of  Wirojoyo 
and  his  son ;  but  I  learned  from  them,  without  making  any  allu 
sion  to  a  message  which  I  had  to  send,  that  to  accomplish  a  visit 
to  the  great  city,  without  the  escort  and  facilities  furnished  by 
Government  to  visitors  going  into  the  interior,  would  require  one 
month  of  time,  the  employment  of  six  coolies  well  armed,  two 
horses,  and  the  expenditure  of  one  thousand  five  hundred  ru 
pees  ;  and  then  he  must  be  a  bold  man  to  face  all  the  dangers  of 
the  route  without  the  government  protection.  The  risk  of  such 
a  journey  would  never  be  incurred  by  Wirojoyo  or  Diporo 
Kasumo. 

I  sought  in  vain  for  a  messenger,  whilst  all  the  particulars  of  the 
route  to  Surakarta  became  the  chief  study  for  the  time.  Umbah 
was  soon  tired  of  the  study  of  the  geography  of  Java,  but  Sah- 
yeepah  never  flagged  in  attention  to  all  that  related  to  the  im 
perial  island,  that  once  wielded  an  absolute  sway  over  all  the  rest 
of  the  Archipelago.  She  was  familiar  with  the  early  dynasties  of 
Susuhunans  or  emperors ;  and  could  chant  some  of  their  exploits 
in  the  heroic  lines  of  the  Bratah  Yudha,  the  great  epic  of  Java ; 
she  often  heard  of  the  glories  of  the  Kraton  of  Surakarta,  no 
mean  relic  of  the  Madjapahit  splendor ;  as  it  contained  not  less 
than  two  hundred  thousand  people  within  its  lofty  walls.  She 
had  longed  to  see  the  Kraton ;  but  I  reminded  her  that  she  must 
never  hope  to  see  it,  unless  with  some  rich  and  powerful  pro 
tector.  That  was  true,  she  thought ;  a  poor  weak  woman,  would 
be  assaulted  by  robbers  and  evil  men,  or  devoured  by  tigers ; 


THE    INSPIRED    MESSENGER.  413 

and  if  escaping  all  these,  would  be  made  a  slave  by  some  of  the 
people  of  the  Susuhunan. 

I  manifested  a  profound  regret  in  contemplating  all  these 
difficulties ;  and  why  should  I  care,  why  should  I  regret  so  much  ? 
I  could  not  tell  Sahyeepah ;  but  by  and  by,  she  heard  from  her 
father  and  her  brother,  of  my  earnest  and  particular  inquiries  of 
them ;  her  courageous  and  enthusiastic  soul  was  moved ;  you 
hardly  need  be  told  in  what  way ;  and  what  she  was  about  to  say 
and  propose ;  as  you  have  a  better  knowledge  of  her  extraordi 
nary  character  than  I  had  then.  She  spoke  of  my  inquiries  of 
her  father  and  her  brother;  of  the  deep  interest  shown  before 
her.  What  was  wanted  at  Surakarta  ?  What  message  to  send,  what 
commission  to  execute  ?  Sahyeepah  would  do  it.  But  where 
were  the  robbers,  tigers,  and  slave-makers  she  would  meet  on  the 
road  ?  She  did  not  see  them  now ;  she  would  go  vilely  clad,  and 
take  her  old  servant  and  a  boy ;  and  they  would  travel  as  poor 
peddlers.  I  listened  as  to  the  wild  whims  of  adventure  of  a  child. 
The  father  would,  no  doubt,  as  soon  entertain  the  idea  of  her 
swimming  back  to  Sumatra ;  and  so  I  shook  my  head  at  all  the 
volunteer  heroism  of  Sahyeepah. 

She  came  one  day  with  a  look  of  fixed  purpose ;  Allah  had 
spoken  to  her  in  the  night-time ;  she  had  heard  her  name  called ; 
she  had  trembled  till  her  soul  was  almost  gone ;  and  she  had 
heard  a  voice  say,  that,  she  had  a  great  work  to  do  for  Tuan. 
She  felt  the  heart  to  do  it ;  she  feared  no  more  the  tigers,  rob 
bers,  and  other  evil  men ;  she  had  heard  of  a  renowned  suwang- 
gee,  a  magician,  who  lived  near  Gunung  Gedeh ;  she  would  get 
from  him  some  charmed  things,  that  would  secure  her  against  all 
danger. 

It  is  common  to  hear  among  the  Malays  and  Javanese,  of 
communings  with  spirits.  I  have  heard  several  simple,  earnest 


414  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

characters,  assert  such  experience  with  the  utmost  earnestness 
and  particularity  of  detail ;  it  is  easy  to  be  believed  of  highly 
imaginative,  simple,  uncultivated  minds  in  tropic  regions ;  but  Su 
matra  is  noted  for  instances  of  remarkable  spiritual  manifesta 
tions  to  women,  remarkable  in  the  estimation  of  the  Sumatran  peo 
ple,  who,  in  one  instance,  built  a  great  broadway,  straight  up  to  the 
top  of  a  high  mountain,  some  ten  or  twelve  thousand  feet  high, 
because  a  certain  supposed  communicant  with  the  spirit  land,  had 
declared  with  much  enthusiasm,  that  the  body,  the  relics  of  a 
certain  holy  personage  were  buried  on  the  summit  of  the  mount ; 
and  many  other  instances  are  recorded  in  authentic  history  of  the 
effect  of  spiritual  manifestations  in  Sumatra. 

Sahyeepah  was  of  a  character  to  become  one  of  these  noted 
spirit  mediums ;  an  earnest,  enthusiastic,  imaginative  creature, 
with  all  the  devotion  of  a  perfect  woman,  yet  only  a  child  in 
point  of  cultivated  reason.  She  urged  her  desire  to  undertake 
the  hazardous  expedition;  and  urged  so  resolutely,  that  I  be 
gan  to  think  it  possible,  that  the  interesting  young  enthusiast 
was  perhaps  the  surest,  and  no  doubt  the  safest  messenger  to 
send.  But  it  seemed  impossible  to  suppose  that  the  father  would 
consent,  that  his  daughter  should  undertake  such  a  wild  adven 
ture.  Wirojoyo  came,  he  had  heard  of  the  resolution  of  his 
daughter ;  it  was  the  will  of  Allah,  Sahyeepah  was  marvellous 
beyond  all  her  people ;  she  could  accomplish  what  one  hundred 
men  would  not  do ;  his  daughter  would  obtain  charms  from  the 
renowned  suwanggee ;  his  son,  the  American  Tuan,  would  soon 
be  free ;  and  he  was  willing  to  let  Sahyeepah  go. 

Wirojoyo  and  Diporo  Kasumo,  were  both  impressed  with  the 
idea,  of  some  supernatural  commission  being  imparted  to  Sah 
yeepah  ;  they  no  longer  imagined  risk  to  her,  in  undertaking  a  fuar- 
ful  journey  of  several  hundreds  of  miles ;  whilst  they  would  bo 


THE   CONCEALED    MESSAGE.  415 

filled  with  alarm  if  her  sister  Sareena  should  walk  half  a  mile  in 
the  campongs  alone.  There  seemed  to  be  no  longer  any  opposi 
tion  for  me  to  make ;  except  my  want  of  faith  in  the  charms,  and 
supernatural  influences  to  protect  a  young  girl  against  BO  many 
risks  to  which  she  would  be  exposed ;  but  if  the  wonderful  art  of 
the  suwanggee  and  of  the  spiritual  manifestations  did  not  inspire 
any  faith  in  their  efficiency ;  yet  I  doubted  not  that  some  poor 
lonely  woman,  would  be  the  safest  bearer  of  a  message,  through 
such  a  region ; — and  better  protected  by  her  poverty  and  loneli 
ness,  than  by  any  safeguards  she  could  take; — she  needed  no 
passport ;  and  would  be  subjected  to  none  of  the  interruptions  and 
official  stoppages  to  which  men  would  be  exposed ;  and  so  it  was 
resolved  that  Sahyeepah  should  go  to  Surakarta. 

Preparations  were  made  for  the  journey ;  a  little  native  built 
cart,  and  a  Java  pony  were  got  ready, — coarse  dresses  prepared 
like  those  worn  by  women  who  peddle  little  articles  of  or 
nament,  and  charms  for  the  credulous ; — a  small  stock  of  these  were 
obtained;  and  Sahyeepah,  Ayum,  and  a  little  boy,  called  Ambon, 
were  ready  for  the  journey.  I  prepared  my  message,  and  had 
been  puzzled  how  to  contrive  for  its  greatest  safety;  how  the 
most  effectually  to  conceal  it  in  the  event  of  a  search.  Sah 
yeepah  had  an  idea ;  the  message  was  written  on  the  finest  tissue 
paper ;  she  rolled  it  into  a  ball,  the  size  of  a  pea ;  she  placed  it 
on  the  head  of  a  large  pin,  like  a  little  skewer,  used  by  the  com 
mon  people  for  fastening  their  hair ;  the  head  of  the  pin  had  an 
eye,  by  which  the  paper  top  was  securely  fastened ;  then  with  a 
liquid  preparation,  one  of  the  lacquers  of  Palembang,  the  head, 
after  being  oiled,  was  coated  over  with  the  lacquer,  layer  after 
layer ;  which,  as  it  stiffened,  was  pressed  into  a  resemblance 
to  the  horn  head  of  another  pin;  and  was  painted  red  like  it; 


416  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

and  thus  Sahyeepah  was  all  prepared  to  carry  my  message  to 
Surakarta. 

I  parted  from  my  remarkable  pupil.  Diporo  Kasumo  accom 
panied  his  sister  to  the  confines  of  the  Residency  of  Batavia, 
where  he  had  to  stop  for  the  want  of  a  passport ;  and  it  was  not 
advisable  that  he  should  go  any  farther.  He  left  his  sister  at 
Bogor,  to  pursue  her  way  with  Ayum,  the  boy,  and  her  own 
courageous  heart ;  and  before  we  shall  hear  her  account  of  her 
journey,  I  shall  tell  you  meanwhile  of  some  incidents  that  took 
place  with  me  during  her  absence. 

FORTY-EIGHT  DAY. 

SABBATH   ON   BOARD    THE   PALMER. 


FORTY-NINTH  DAY. 

THE  Baron  had  received,  with  his  liberty,  the  restoration  of 
his  sword,  and  his  rank  in  the  army ;  he  had  been  discharged 
from  prison,  as  a  guiltless  man,  who  had  been  deprived  of  his 
liberty  nearly  two  years,  without  any  foundation  of  crime,  or  mis 
demeanor,  whatever.  The  Executive  did  not  pardon  the  Baron ; 
but  declared  the  decision  of  the  Court  of  Justice,  that  had  con 
demned  him,  as  null  and  void.  So  much ;  said  he  to  me,  one 
day,  for  having  sat  on  the  same  school  bench  with  a  man  in 
power ;  but,  though  the  restoration  to  liberty,  rank,  and  an  un- 
impeached  character,  was  simply  a  portion  of  what  was  due  to 
an  injured  man  in  this  case;  yet  it  illustrates,  as  much  as 
my  own  strangely  protracted  proceedings,  the  insignificancy  of  the 
judiciary ;  and  the  irresponsibility  and  arbitrary  position  of  the 
chief  of  the  military  despotism  that  controls  the  possessions  of 
Holland  in  the  East  Indies. 

The  Baron  continued  to  be  my  most  constant  visitor,  and  ad 
viser  in  prison,  and  my  faithful  ally  outside.  The  well-dressed, 
elegant-looking  officer,  that  came  to  see  me,  presented  a  marked 
contrast  to  the  half-nude,  reckless,  riotous,  carousing  prison 
neighbor ;  and  after  showing  to  you  the  effect  that  a  prison  can 
produce  upon  a  fine  man,  I  am  anxious  to  present  him  before  you 
in  his  restored  and  natural  state.  But  the  prison  life  had  broken 
up  his  career;  he  could  not  join  again  his  comrades  in  arms, 
and  had  tendered  his  resignation.  He  had  no  longer  any  voca- 
18* 


418  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

tion  in  Netherland  India ;  he  had  no  wife,  no  near  relations  in 
Holland ;  and  wished  to  retire  to  America. 

He  was  talking  with  me,  the  day  after  the  departure  of  Sah- 
yeepah ;  he  had  come  to  consult  about  Umbah.  She  was  now 
within  a  few  months  of  being  twelve  years  of  age,  the  dawn  of 
womanhood  in  these  islands ;  he  could  not  take  care  of  her  much 
longer,  he  did  not  think  himself  fit  even  now.  He  could  not 
and  he  would  not  take  her  to  Europe ;  the  delicate  Oriental  did 
not  bear  transplanting  to  the  rude  north-west.  I  now  occupied  a 
relationship  towards  the  interesting  foundling ;  and  I  had  been 
her  teacher ;  and  must  take  a  part  in  the  family  consultation, 
concerning  her  future  settlement  in  life. 

Sometimes,  said  the  Baron,  it  has  seemed  to  me,  that  you 
were  developing  ideas  and  tastes,  that  may  prove  a  source  of  dis 
contentment  and  unhappiness.  You  think  that  the  old  Dutch 
spirit,  that  destroyed  spice  groves  in  all  but  one  spot,  in  order  to 
get  the  greatest  possible  advantage  from  the  small  quantity  pro 
duced,  might  very  well  have  dictated  my  words;  but  Umbah  must 
remain  a  Malay  woman ;  and  as  you  would  deplore  the  possibility 
of  her  becoming  the  mistress  of  an  European ;  she  cannot  look 
forward  to  any  other  lot,  than  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  a  Malay 
or  Javanese  lord  ;  and  of  what  use  will  geography,  the  knowledge 
of  books,  the  use  of  the  pen,  the  science  of  numbers,  and  some 
inkling  of  philosophy  be  to  her  in  such  a  relation  ? 

These  acquirements  might  be  of  no  more  use,  no  more  called 
into  play,  than  in  the  case  of  nineteen  twentieths  of  the  young 
females  of  our  race,  who  generally  make  such  little  application  of 
a  long,  scholastic  experience  in  the  matrimonial  state ;  that  is  to 
say,  there  is  no  evidence  of  the  application  of  geography  in  house 
keeping,  of  natural  philosophy  in  cookery ;  or  of  any  heavy  de 
mand  being  made  upon  the  science  of  numbers  in  keeping  accounts 


SETTLEMENT    OF    UMBAH.  419 

with  shopkeepers ;  yet  after  all,  the  training  of  study,  the  disci 
pline  of  arts  and  letters  however  slight,  renders  more  simple,  easy 
and  purposeful,  the  exercise  of  every  duty ;  and  thus,  it  is  the 
merest  truism  to  say  of  Umbah,  that  she  will  not  make  the  battek 
cloth ;  and  prepare  the  kimlo,  and  the  sambol  goreng,  any  the 
worse  for  knowing  more  of  civilized  learning  than  her  uncivilized 
lord. 

Umbah  has  learned  by  the  little  exercise  of  her  Malay  mind, 
she  has  gone  through,  to  look  with  horror  upon  the  use  of  strong 
drink ;  to  despise  a  chewer  of  opium,  to  consider  a  man,  who  does 
little  else  but  train  chickens,  lizards,  and  cockroaches  to  combat, 
as  many  Malays  do,  to  show  for  amusement  and  profit,  as  of  no 
more  use  on  earth,  than  a  trained  dancing  dog;  or  one  of  their 
own  self-destroying  beasts  and  reptiles ;  she  has  got  by  all  this 
reading  and  worrying  of  her  little  head,  some  idea  that  a  Malay 
has  a  soul ;  and  that  she  has  one ;  and  there  is  no  fear  that  she 
will  surrender  up  any  control  of  her  being  to  any  one ;  European 
or  native,  who  is  not  a  companion  of  her  spiritual  nature.  There 
was  no  reason  to  fear  that  our  resolute,  thinking,  little  foster  child 
must  necessarily  fall  so  soon  into  the  hands  of  a  master ;  she  was 
of  a  character,  to  be  her  own  mistress ;  and  the  only  important 
consideration  was,  to  provide  for  her  a  suitable  home  asylum,  a 
family  protection,  the  association  of  influences  that  would  help  to 
sustain  her  fine  womanly  instincts.  This  course  was  decided 
upon ;  to  find  a  suitable  European  family,  over  which  an  intelli 
gent  and  refined  lady  presided ;  such  a  one,  I  may  say  here,  was 
found ;  and  when  I  last  heard  from  Umbah,  she  was  under  the 
roof  of  a  Christian  family ;  and  pursuing  the  studies  she  had 
commenced  in  the  prison  of  Weltevreden. 

The  Baron  always  brought  a  great  deal  of  gossip  from  the 
city ;  and  among  other  matters  on  this  occasion,  he  could  tell  me 


420 


PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 


something  of  the  history  of  the  crazy  lady,  who  was  confined  in  a 
room  in  the  court,  immediately  behind  mine.  I  had  often  seen 
her  from  the  grating  of  my  back  wall ;  and  had  often  spoken  to 
her ;  but  she  had  only  replied  with  peevish  mutterings ;  and 
would  continue  many  hours  in  succession,  seated  on  her  door 
step,  and  engaged  in  her  usual  occupation  of  combing  her  hair. 


r    L. 


He  had  learned  that  her  name  was  Virgina  Smell,  and  he 
wished  to  see  what  effect  would  be  produced  by  repeating  her 
name  to  her  ;  and  speaking  of  some  matters  of  her  early  history, 
which  he  supposed  might  affect  her.  By  standing  upon  niy  table, 


INFANTICIDE    AND    MADNESS.  421 

we  could  have  a  good  view  through  the  bars  of  the  small  window 
of  my  back  wall,  into  the  court  behind ;  and  the  room  of  the 
crazy  young  woman,  was  not  more  than  thirty  feet  distant  from 
my  window.  She  had  not  yet  come  to  her  door ;  although  it  was 
the  usual  hour,  about  sunset.  A  few  rays  of  departing  beams 
still  gilded  the  tops  of  the  tamarind  and  almond-trees,  that  over 
looked  the  court.  The  Baron  called  out  softly ;  Virgina,  Virgina. 

A  movement  was  heard  in  the  chamber  of  the  crazy  one,  the 
door  opened  quickly,  and  a  pale  face  was  thrust  out ;  she  looked 
around  wildly ;  her  shrunken  hand  grasped  nervously  the  door 
post,  as  she  uttered  in  piteous  voice,  Louis,  Louis ;  where  are 
you  ?  do  you  call  Virgina  ?  The  Baron  was  hardly  prepared 
for  this ;  he  was  stirred  up  a  little ;  and  then  he  mingled  with 
some  low  words  of  anger,  the  name  of  one,  who  had  been  her 
protector.  He  spoke  again,  with  accents  of  tenderness.  Where 
is  baby ;  where  is  Mawar  ?  poor  little  Mawar ;  Virgina,  where 
is  our  Mawar  ? 

She  had  not  looked  towards  my  window  before ;  she  now 
stepped  forth  into  the  small  space  before  her  door ;  she  seemed  to 
search  for  the  one  who  had  spoken  to  her ;  speaking  in  low  tone, 
as  it  were  to  herself;  Louis  wants  Mawar,  where  is  Mawar  ?  and 
then  she  laughed  and  looked  piteous  in  turns;  and  mumbled 
something  about  Mawar,  a  Chinaman,  and  the  big  canal. 

The  Baron  seemed  to  have  heard  enough ;  he  jumped  down 
from  the  table,  and  paced  my  floor,  with  quick,  nervous  step. 
He  spoke  of  an  honorable,  wealthy  and  distinguished  gentleman, 
once  a  protector  of  this  young  woman ;  he  had  retired  to  Europe, 
overcharged  with  wealth  and  honors ;  he  would  solace  his  declin 
ing  days  with  a  companion  and  domestic  peace  in  the  fatherland ; 
he  would  not  wish  to  have  the  home  circle  he  contemplated,  in 
terrupted  by  any  voice,  that  should  cry  out,  father,  from  the  cam- 


422  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

pongs  of  Batavia ;  and  so,  Mawar,  little  Mawar ; — listen  to  that 
name,  old  man,  went  perhaps,  as  Virgina  seemed  to  say,  with 
some  ruffian  Chinaman,  to  the  big  canal ;  and  yet  the  crazy 
woman  rouses  at  the  name  spoken  in  some  old  tones  of  love,  and 
says ;  Louis,  where  are  you  ?  Wherever  you  are,  indeed,  come 
before  death  overtakes  you,  and  take  her  out  of  this  jail, — she  who 
once  clung  to  you,  still  clinging  in  her  madness,  despite  the  stealing 
and  murder  of  her  child. 

"Whilst  the  Baron  continued  to  talk,  we  still  heard  the  inquir 
ing  voice  of  the  crazy  woman.  He  thought,  as  I  had  been  led 
to  believe,  that  this  was  an  easily  curable  case  of  insanity ;  one 
of  those  which  so  frequently  occur  in  early  maternity.  Representa 
tions  were  made  to  the  Court  of  Justice ;  and  I  think  that  she  is 
now  cared  for  with  a  proper  nurse,  and  in  a  more  comfortable  es 
tablishment. 

This  reminds  me  to  give  you  some  little  account  of  the  chief 
attendant  of  the  crazy  young  woman,  whilst  in  Weltevreden ; 
the  huge  Dyak  pirate,  the  same  who  had  always  waited  upon 
me ;  he  was  a  monster  in  size,  and  in  dark,  ugly  features ;  but 
there  was  a  simple,  good  nature  in  the  expression  of  his  counte 
nance,  that  did  not  correspond  with  the  character  of  pirate,  for 
which  crimes  he  had  been  doomed  to  perpetual  imprisonment.  I 
had  felt  an  interest  to  talk  with  him, — he  being  a  native  of  the  vast 
insular  continent  of  Borneo,  stretching  nine  hundred  miles  from 
north  to  south ;  and  eight  hundred  from  east  to  west, — a  great 
empire  of  fertile  soil,  of  rich  mines;  and  gorgeous  forests,  teem 
ing  with  life ;  of  rare  birds,  strange  beasts,  and  wild  men ;  un 
touched  as  yet  by  civilization,  otherwise  than  in  the  way  of  trade ; 
except  at  one  small  point,  by  the  regenerating  hand  of  Brooke. 

The  Dyaks,  the  aborigines  of  Borneo,  exhibit  in  general  the 
traits  of  a  frank  and  docile  nature,  which  appear  in  strong  contrast 


DYAK    SUPERSTITION.  423 

with  the  crafty,  restless  character  of  the  Malays,  who  have  taken 
possession  of  all  the  coast  of  the  great  island ;  and  are  overrun 
ning  it,  like  the  rest  of  the  Archipelago,  with  their  language. 
However,  nothwithstanding  the  general  fine  traits  in  the  character 
of  the  Dyaks,  several  of  their  tribes  are  led  on  by  a  horrible 
superstition,  to  an  atrocious  system  of  assassination.  The  good- 
natured  Dyak,  who  is  frank  and  hospitable  at  one  time,  will,  on 
another  occasion,  go  in  quest  of  his  fellow-man,  in  order  to  cut 
off  his  head,  believing  that  whoever  holds  the  head  during  life, 
and  has  it  buried  with  him  in  his  grave,  will  hold  as  a  slave  in 
another  world,  the  soul  of  the  beheaded  one.  My  waiter  had 
entertained  this  belief,  when  in  Borneo,  and  on  the  occasion  of 
getting  married,  he  joined  a  party  on  a  head  hunting  expedition, 
wishful  to  get  one  to  present  to  his  bride.  He  had  been  captured 
during  the  expedition  by  a  Dutch  cruiser ;  had  been  drafted  into 
the  Dutch  army ;  had  deserted,  and  engaged  in  some  act  of  piracy ; 
was  recaptured,  and  sent  to  Weltevreden  to  wait  on  his  fellow- 
men  there,  without  losing  his  head ;  and  Conan,  as  he  was  called, 
was  led  to  believe,  after  some  conversations  with  me,  that  the 
decapitation  of  his  fellow-men  was  a  very  bad  practice. 

Conan,  was  a  Kahajan  Dyak,  from  the  southern  portion  of 
Borneo ;  born  at  Kota  Moowara  Rawa  on  the  Kahajan  River ;  he 
told  many  singular  incidents  of  his  Bornese  life ;  about  piracy, 
and  some  adventures  with  orang  utan ;  one  of  the  stories  relating 
to  the  wild  men  having  been  confirmed,  as  to  the  facts  of  the  in 
cident,  by  the  Baron  and  others,  I  shall  endeavor  to  relate  it  in 
the  words  of  Conan,  as  a  further  illustration  of  the  wild  beings  in 
human  form,  that  roam  through  the  jungles  of  the  Archipelago. 

ABDUCTION  BY  AN  ORANG  UTAN  OF  BORNEO. 

This  happened  to  Conan  when  he  carried  a  firelock  for  the 


424  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

Company.  His  Commander  Tuan  Lieutenant,  was  marching  with 
a  troop  of  soldiers  and  some  coolies  from  Kota  Marabahan  on  the 
Banjer  River,  to  a  post  on  the  Murung.  The  Commander  had  a 
child  with  him ;  a  daughter,  tho  substance  of  his  heart,  the  bright 
light  of  his  eye ;  the  child  of  a  Malay  mother,  who  was  dead ;  and 
Ledah,  the  little  girl,  was  like  Umbah,  the  joy  of  Tuan,  who  comes 
to  the  house  of  care.  The  servants  of  Ledah  were  with  her,  to 
wait  on  her,  and  watch  that  she  got  no  hurt. 

The  sun  was  hot  one  day,  and  Tuan  Lieutenant  said,  halt, 
under  some  waringin  trees,  near  a  stream  of  water.  The  soldiers 
and  coolies  ate  rice,  they  drank  arrack, — Conan  too ;  and  all  lay 
down  to  sleep,  while  the  sun  was  hot.  But  Ledah,  silly  child,  did 
not  sleep ;  she  had  big  eyes  to  look  into  the  deep  shade  of  waringin 
trees;  she  heard  sounds,  they  were  little  beasts  in  the  forests; 
Ledah  thought  they  were  beautiful  children  of  the  country  of 
the  Bekumpay,  that  is  full  of  devils  only ;  but  Ledah  must  know ; 
must  see  with  her  eyes ;  women  must  know  every  thing,  Conan 
says  it. 

Tuan  Lieutenant,  and  servants  of  Ledah  sleep ;  she  takes  off 
the  charpoo,  and  walks  softly  with  little  bare  feet,  away  from  the 
encampment.  Ledah  walks  down  where  the  earth  was  hollow, 
the  waringin  shade  is  thick ;  there  is  a  dim  light  down  in  tho 
hollow ;  but  Ledah  sees  beautiful  flowers ;  she  fills  her  hands ; 
the  air  is  still  and  hot  under  the  shade,  she  takes  off  her  kabyah 
and  fills  it  with  flowers.  Ledah  has  gathered  a  great  many,  and 
she  sits  down,  at  the  foot  of  a  great  tree,  to  make  some  garlands 
to  give  to  her  father  when  he  awakes. 

Great  eyes  are  staring  at  Ledah ;  eyes  of  a  wild  man.  Ho 
creeps  nearer,  softly  along  the  ground  like  a  tiger ;  the  wild  man 
does  not  eat  Malays,  or  Dyaks ;  but  wild  men  carry  off  Malay  and 
Dyak  girls  when  they  walk  outside  the  cainpongs.  The  wild  man 


ABDUCTION  BY  AN  ORANG  UTAN.  425 

has  come  behind  the  waringin  tree ;  the  pretty  child  is  twining 
her  flowers ;  she  is  thinking  of  her  papa ;  he  won't  be  angry  because 
she  ran  away  from  her  nurse,  when  she  brings  such  nice  flowers ; 
he  will  take  his  Ledah  in  his  lap ;  and  she  will  twine  her  wreaths 
round  his  neck.  Aachh !  the  wild  man  cries ;  Ledah  is  seized ; 
arms  of  a  beast,  strong  and  hairy  are  around  her ;  and  she  sees 
great  eyes  burning  in  a  hairy,  beast  face. 

Ledah  does  not  faint ;  she  is  a  Malay  girl ;  and  screams  as 
Malay  girl  can;  her  screams  fill  the  hollow  glen,  they  pierce 
through  the  forest,  they  ring  in  the  ears  of  the  sleepers  on  the 
creek  bank, — in  the  ears  of  the  father,  who  cries  aloud  for  his 
child.  Some  heard  the  voice  of  Ledah  very  quick ;  Conan  heard 
the  first  scream ;  he  ran,  all  the  soldiers  and  coolies  ran ;  all  ran 
to  where  they  heard  the  voice  of  Ledah, — the  substance  of  the 
heart  of  the  father,  and  the  joy  of  the  company ;  they  have  entered 
the  forest ;  and  hear  cries  in  a  tree, — high  up  in  a  great  tree-top, 
they  see  their  favorite  in  the  grasp  of  a  great,  hideous  orang  utan, 
who  springs  from  limb  to  limb, — body  of  little  Ledah  no  trouble, 

Orang  utan  are  strong ;  far  stronger  than  Malay  or  Dyak ; 
they  carry  a  big  Dyak  in  one  arm,  easy  like  a  child ;  and  easily 
this  one,  leaped  along  with  Ledah.  The  soldiers  could  shoot  him ; 
but  where  would  be  Ledah  ?  Conan  ran  to  one  tree ;  other  soldiers 
and  coolies  ran  to  other  trees ;  some  climbed  up,  and  all  shouted ; 
and  the  father  shouting  out ;  a  thouand  rupees,  to  him  who  will 
save  his  child  alive.  The  orang  utan  is  pressed ;  he  approaches 
the  creek  bank ;  the  orang  utan  always  takes  to  water,  when  pur 
sued.  There  is  a  great  tree,  it  has  high  limbs,  that  overhang  the 
water ;  the  orang  utan  has  sprung  into  this ;  and  Ledah  is  bleed 
ing, — her  arms  and  feet  are  torn, — her  voice  is  still ;  she  is  surely 
dead ;  but  Conan  is  in  the  tree ;  he  sees  her  struggle  again,  he 
climbs  swift  as  the  orang  utan ;  others  are  climbing,  coolies  are 


426  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

on  the  edge  of  the  stream ;  they  see  above  them,  on  a  limb,  high 
up  and  far  over  the  water,  they  see  the  monster,  and  Ledah ;  Co- 
nan  is  near ;  the  wild  man  cries,  aachh  !  looks  down,  raises  up,  and 
springs ;  Conan  after,  pluoge  into  the  water, — others  have  plunged, 
the  creek  is  full,  they  have  hold  of  Ledah,  the  monster  bites  strong 
and  fierce,  he  dives,  he  escapes ;  but  Ledah  is  safe,  and  in  the 
arms  of  her  father. 

This  abduction  of  the  little  girl,  was  a  story  of  which  I  heard 
some  particulars  from  officers  at  Palembang  and  Minto,  and  from 
several  persons  at  Batavia.  I  heard  many  different  accounts; 
but  have  preferred  to  give  you  the  version  of  an  eye  witness. 
There  are  many  well  authenticated  instances  of  the  abduction  of 
young  girls,  who  have  strayed  beyond  the  safe  limits  of  their  vil 
lage.  Ledah  recovered  from  the  effects  of  her  fearful  excursion 
in  the  tree-tops ;  and  is  said  to  be  married,  and  now  living  near 
Amboyna. 

Conan  not  only  entertained  me  with  stories ;  but  became  one 
of  my  pupils ; — when  the  gates  were  closed  at  noon,  Conan  would 
come ;  and  sometimes  at  night,  he  had  a  chance  to  get  out  of  his 
block,  and  come  into  mine  unobserved ;  for  he  was  not  confined 
to  a  cell  at  night ;  the  fast-riveted  iron  bands  being  considered  suffi 
cient  protection  against  any  attempt  at  escape  of  a  native ;  when 
ever  he  could  thus  get  away,  he  would  come  and  sit  on  the  door 
step  of  my  room,  and  with  the  docility  of  Umbah,  would  listen 
with  simple  credulity  to  whatever  was  told  to  him.  He  had  a  com 
rade,  a  Javanese  robber,  called  Gedeh;  another  great  childlike 
creature,  docile  and  good-natured,  who  had  warred  against  a  por 
tion  of  his  fellow-beings,  from  superstition,  and  with  sheer  brute 
unconsciousness  of  crime. 

These  encaged  wild  creatures,  had  begun  to  take  pleasure  in 
listening,  first  to  the  stories,  and  then  to  a  little  reasoning  of 


CIVILIZATION    APPROACHING   BARBARISM.  427 

civilization.  In  a  short  while,  they  did  not  seem  so  far  off  from 
it ;  and  they  wished  to  come  nearer ;  nearer  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  European ;  and  all  their  brethren  would  wish  to  come  nearer, 
even  to  civilization ;  if  civilization  would  study  their  weak  na 
tures,  and  go  nearer  to  them.  But  I  have  more  to  say  on  this 
subject,  when  I  speak  of  the  chief  representative  of  the  ruling 
races  of  the  Archipelago.  The  Java  Malay  enthusiast  who  went 
on  a  bold  journey  to  Surakarta. 


FIFTIETH  DAY. 

IT  was  in  the  beginning  of  the  eleventh  month  of  my  stay  in 
prison,  that  Sahyeepah  went  upon  her  adventurous  journey ;  and 
her  return  was  expected  within  six  weeks  at  the  farthest,  from 
the  time  of  her  starting. 

This  eleventh  month  is  made  notable  to  me,  by  the  occurrence 
of  three  events,  of  very  different,  though  of  equally  imposing 
character ;  and  the  more  notable  to  me,  and  the  more  vividly  re 
membered,  on  account  of  having  occurred,  so  quickly  following 
after  each  other. 

There  are  many  little  particulars  connected  with  my  prison 
life,  of  which  I  have  made  no  mention ;  there  were  many  visits, 
many  anecdotes  about  fellow-prisoners ;  many  curious  characters 
coming  in,  and  going  out ;  many  little  matters  occurring  between 
me,  the  jailer  and  his  family ;  with  my  sailors,  judges,  friends ; 
some  changes  in  living,  diet,  health ;  and  all  the  detail  of  a  pri 
son  life,  daily  full  of  incident,  to  which  I  have  not  even  alluded. 
But  one  of  these  unmentioned  particulars  of  my  prison  experi 
ence,  I  will  now  speak  of;  and  that  was  the  annoyance  from  rep 
tiles, — of  numberless  frogs  in  the  court,  of  lizards  in  my  cell. 
The  latter  are  not  unfamiliar  in  well-kept  houses,  even  in  Bata- 
via ;  they  run  upon  the  wall  and  the  ceiling  after  flies ;  and  some 
times  their  feet  lose  their  power  of  holding  on;  and  oftentimes 
drop  into  beds,  where  there  are  no  overhangings,  as  was  in  my 


SERPENT    IN   A   CELL.  429 

case,  and  startle  a  sleeper,  with  their  cold,  glassy  bodies  on  his 
breast.  But  I  was  roused  one  night,  by  a  more  alarming  visi 
tant  than  a  lizard. 

I  awoke  from  a  painful  dream,  and  perceived  an  oppressive, 
sickening  odor  in  my  room ;  I  raised  up ;  there  was  a  fluttering  in 
a  cage,  from  a  little  crimson-streaked  dove,  that  I  had;  there 
was  a  sliding  sound ;  and  by  the  starlight  of  a  Javan  sky,  that 
shed  some  faint  rays  through  the  bars  of  my  window,  I  could  see 
a  large  serpent  on  the  floor. 

Any  one  who  has  lived  in  a  log  cabin  in  the  upper  districts 
of  South  Carolina  or  Georgia;  or  perhaps  anywhere  in  the 
Southern  back  woods  of  America,  would  not  be  surprised  at  the 
sight  of  a  snake  in  his  room ;  there  are  even  tolerated  house 
snakes  in  Georgia,  on  account  of  being  such  good  mousers ;  snakes 
are  met  with  in  very  strange  places  in  a  backwoods  home ;  and 
oftentimes  have  to  be  turned  out  of  a  bed  before  a  man  can  turn 
in  himself;  but  they  are  small  snakes  of  harmless  bite.  I  might 
have  heeded  them  no  more  than  the  lizards ;  but  this  was  one  of 
the  great,  venomous  reptiles  of  Java. 

He  could  not  get  the  bird ;  he  raised  his  head,  he  moved  it 
around,  seeming  to  survey  the  room ;  I  could  see  his  glittering 
eyes ;  he  slid  a  little  towards  me ;  he  raised  his  head  again  with 
dancing  motion,  as  though  smelling  in  the  air;  he  slid  nearer; 
his  head  was  within  five  feet  of  mine ;  and  I  thought  he  was 
going  to  spring.  My  right  hand  was  upon  a  gooling,  a  tightly 
stuffed  little  bolster,  that  is  universally  used  in  the  Archipelago, 
to  place  between  the  knees ;  a  means  of  coolness  to  the  limbs ; — 
which  I  hurled  with  fear  inspired  energy  at  the  monster ;  there  was 
a  horrible  hissing,  a  beating  of  the  floor ;  the  serpent  wound  round 
the  bolster,  quickly  coiling  and  uncoiling,  and  biting  at  it  for  a 
few  moments ;  and  then  the  great  constrictor  slid  away,  leaving 


430  PRISON    OP   WELTEVREDEN. 

behind  a  suffocating,  nauseous  odor ;  which  with  some  apprehen 
sion  of  his  return,  made  me  pass  an  uneasy  night 

Conan,  when  he  came  with  my  breakfast,  told  me  that  such 
visits  were  not  uncommon  in  some  of  the  blocks  next  to  the 
moat ;  this  was  the  great  ular  sawah,  that  came  from  the  canal 
through  the  drains ;  it  had  entered  my  room  through  a  hole  in  a 
corner,  which  was  made  by  a  singular  burrowing  creature,  a 
species  of  Java  mole.  I  discovered  outside  a  distinct  trail  fully 
five  inches  across,  and  the  serpent  must  have  been  nine  feet  in 
length.  This  was  the  first  of  the  events,  that  marked  my 
eleventh  month  in  prison. 

The  third  night  after  this  occurrence,  was  very  sultry,  even 
for  Java ;  it  was  impossible  to  sleep ;  there  was  oppression  and 
sickening  languor  in  the  air ;  and  it  was  exhaustion  to  attempt 
any  relief;  the  enfeebled  brain  filled  the  hot  night  air  with  foul 
shapes ;  the  demons  that  come  to  the  Javan  mind,  and  even  to 
any  mind,  that  is  sweltering  in  the  heat  of  Java.  The  drapery 
of  the  night  sky  droops  its  glittering  folds  down  closer  to  the 
earth,  shutting  out  the  winds,  and  shutting  in  the  heat.  There 
are  murinurings  in  the  air,  like  the  tremulous  signal  sounds  of  a 
Thug;  and  waf-wamngs  of  the  great  vampire  bats  with  musky 
wings,  fanning  deadly  odors  upon  a  heat-enfeebled  sleeper ;  who 
reaches  feebly  forth  with  unnerved  limbs  to  cast  off  the  thrall  of 
Javan  nightmare. 

I  heard  a  murmur  of  sound ;  it  was  not  the  rustle  in  the  al 
mond-tree  tops,  from  the  breath  of  a  rising  breeze ;  the  murmur 
became  a  rumble,  a  march  of  dread  sound,  that  rolled  from  the 
east  to  the  west;  it  rolled  on  louder,  it  rushed  upon  the  city, 
and  then  the  earth  heaved,  walls  shook,  tiles  rattled  from  the  roofs ; 
the  heaving  rocked  and  sickened  me,  like  a  rolling  at  sea ;  and 


AN    EARTHQUAKE    IN    PRISON.  431 

the  whole  length  of  Java,  and  many  distant  isles,  were  shaken  by 
a  great  earthquake. 

There  are  twenty-one  volcanoes  on  the  island;  smoking, 
flaming,  and  belching  forth,  at  frequent  intervals,  the  hot  liquid 
matter  of  the  earth's  bowels.  The  great  Tomboro  on  the  island 
of  Sumbawa,  has  burst  forth  at  times,  with  heavings,  that  have 
shaken  the  farthest  verge  of  the  Archipelago.  The  sea  has  risen 
up  in  the  Moluccas,  and  carried  vessels  many  miles  inland ;  it 
was  so  this  time ;  and  Arjuno  or  Merapi  were  making  a  grand 
pyrotechnic  display  on  the  hot  night,  that  I  was  tossed  about  on 
the  floor  of  my  cell ; — and  this  was  the  second  notable  thing,  that 
marked  the  eleventh  month  of  my  stay  in  Weltevreden. 

You  have  learned,  that  one  Fiskaal,  well  disposed  towards 
me,  was  removed;  and  another  one,  a  clerk  in  the  office  of  the 
chief  prosecutor  of  the  Government,  appointed  in  his  stead.  You 
have  learned  also,  that  some  changes  were  made  on  the  bench  of 
the  Court  of  Justice,  that  witnesses  were  brought  from  Sumatra ; 
all  that  remained ;  the  chief  ones  in  fact ;  that  the  Residents  of 
Palembang  and  Banca ;  that  the  Havermeesters  of  these  two  places, 
an  assistant  Resident,  some  naval  and  military  officers,  my  sailors, 
and  my  treacherous  servants  in  the  pay  of  the  Government,  had 
all  been  examined ;  the  whole  instruction,  or  preliminary  investiga 
tion  gone  over  again ;  pressed  by  an  active,  unscrupulous  Fiskaal 
this  time ;  followed  up  by  a  strenuous  requisition,  demanding  that 
I  should  be  tried  and  punished  for  high  treason.  And  the  Court 
of  Justice  deliberated  upon  all  this ;  looked  over  the  piles  of 
docket,  of  reports,  correspondence,  and  private  papers,  that  had 
accumulated  during  the  progress  of  the  case ;  they  had  my  whole 
history,  late  cruise,  and  smallest  transaction  during  my  stay  in 
the  Archipelago,  all  before  them ;  and  on  the  twenty-second  of 
December,  1852,  they  recorded  their  solemn  decision,  that  there 


432  PRISON    OP    WELTEVREDEN. 

were  "no  grounds"  whatever,  for  the  charge  of  "Light  reason," 
alleged  against  the  Commander  and  mate  of  the  Flirt ;  refusing 
to  bring  the  case  into  a  public  court ;  and  ordering  the  immediate 
liberaton,  and  restoration  of  the  property  of  the  prisoners ;  and 
this  was  the  third  notable  event,  during  the  eleventh  month  of 
my  stay  in  prison. 

Thus,  this  Court  had  thrice  ordered  my  liberation ;  the  first 
time,  on  account  of  the  illegality  of  the  manner  of  my  arrest; 
and  a  second,  and  a  third  time,  had  declared  solemnly,  that  there 
was  no  foundation  for  the  crime  alleged  against  me;  and  now 
again,  this  decree  of  liberation  was  opposed  by  the  chief  pro 
secutor  of  the  Government,  and  he  obtained  another  decree  from 
the  secret  high  tribunal,  peremptorily  ordering  the  Court  of  Jus 
tice,  to  hold  a  public  trial  of  the  Commander  and  the  mate  of 
the  Flirt,  in  the  Stadhuis  of  Batavia ;  and  this  event,  this  order 
of  re-arrest,  which  I  did  not  learn  till  some  time  afterwards,  dur 
ing  the  twelfth  month  of  my  stay  in  prison ;  this  was  the  order, 
that  was  handed  to  me  by  Sheriff  Brower,  and  cast  me  from 
brightest  hope,  into  darkest  gloom,  on  the  same  evening  that  the 
Palmer  struck  on  Brewer's  shoals 

Shortly  after  this,  I  heard  of  you,  and  saw  some  of  my 
friends  who  now  listen  to  me.  You  found  me  busy  with  my 
notes,  making  preparation  for  the  grand  trial  that  was  to  take 
place  the  following  month.  The  Arjuno  and  the  Borneo  had 
Bailed  again,  to  bring  a  second  time  all  the  civil,  military  and 
naval  officers  of  the  Government,  that  had  any  knowledge  of  my 
case;  and  besides  these,  to  bring  every  native  chieftain;  and 
Arab,  Malay,  or  Chinaman,  with  whom  I  had  spoken ;  there  was 
the  stir  and  rumor  of  a  grand  preparation;  of  such  a  trial,  as 
had  never  been  seen  under  Dutch  East  Indian  rule ;  a  trial,  that 
would  afford  an  opportunity  to  bring  out  many  appearances  against 


MOTIVES   FOR   A   TRIAL.  433 

me,  even  if  I  could  not  be  convicted  of  high  treason ;  that  would 
show  some  excuse  for  the  protracted,  blundering  management  of 
the  case ;  that  would  impress  America,  with  the  idea  of  the  de 
liberation  and  fairness  of  Dutch  justice;  but  above  all,  that 
would  afford  an  opportunity  to  strengthen  the  prestige  of  Dutch 
power  in  the  native  mind ;  that  had  seen  the  flag  of  a  great  na 
tion  trampled  upon ;  its  citizens  cast  ignominiously  into  prison;  and 
then  had  heard  of  one  of  their  ships  of  war  coming  to  their  rescue, 
and  going  ingloriously  away  ;  they  had  seen  and  heard  all  this ; 
and  now  they  should  see  the  citizen  of  that  great  power,  ar 
raigned  before  their  judges,  questioned,  browbeaten,  and  perhaps 
condemned  and  begging  for  his  life. 

I  did  not  think  much  of  this,  during  the  excitement  of  that 
period ;  there  was  another  matter  that  weighed  upon  my  mind. 
The  eleventh  month  had  passed  away;  and  no  tidings  of  Sah- 
yeepah.  As  the  days  of  the  twelfth  rolled  on,  the  father,  and 
brother,  and  sister  came  to  see  me,  with  anxious  looks ;  looking 
for  assurance  and  hope  in  my  words.  I  had  plenty  to  give  them ; 
although  I  began  to  lose  it  fast  myself.  I  felt  a  keen  self-re 
proach  for  having  consented  to  such  an  adventure,  by  such  a  per 
son,  on  my  account.  There  was  no  longer  the  excitement  of  the  cir 
cumstance  that  led  to  it ;  her  own  enthusiasm,  and  the  ready  acquies 
cence  of  the  simple  relatives.  Wirojoyo,  and  his  son  and  daughter, 
like  simple,  credulous,  confiding  children  of  Java,  seemed  to  look 
up  to  me,  to  some  powers  I  possessed,  they  knew  not  what,  for  the 
restoration  of  the  absent  one.  And  as  time  rolled  on ;  the  seventh 
week  having  gone,  since  the  departure  of  Sahyeepah,  I  began  to 
realize  the  first  view,  that  Wirojoyo  had  taken  of  the  expedition ; 
the  great  distance, — about  four  hundred  miles ;  the  steep  moun 
tains  to  ascend ;  the  rivers  to  cross ;  the  almost  impassable  roada 
to  labor  through  in  some  places;  and  then  the  tigers  and  aer? 


434  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

pents  swarming  in  the  jungle,  and  along  the  path ;  the  robbers ; 
and  worse  than  all,  the  evil  men,  who  ever  lurk  in  every  land, 
to  rob  what  is  more  precious  than  treasure  or  life,  from  every  de 
fenceless  woman. 

The  twelfth  month  had  passed  away;  some  days  of  the 
thirteenth ;  and  the  time  was  near  at  hand  for  the  great  trial. 
I  had  to  summon  memory,  resolution,  hope,  patience,  and  the 
pride  of  country,  to  enable  me  to  meet  the  array  of  opposing  in 
fluences,  that,  I  supposed,  an  unscrupulous  power  was  about  to 
bring  and  to  wield  against  me.  I  felt  no  shrinking  to  meet  all 
that;  but  I  shrank  from  meeting  Wirojoyo,  who  came  with  de 
solate,  and  tearful  face,  to  tell  me  that  there  were  no  tidings  of 
his  child. 


FIFTY-FIRST  DAY. 

MY  trial  commenced  on  the  anniversary  of  my  entrance  into 
the  prison  of  Weltevreden.  Twelve  months  of  diligent  prepara 
tion  on  the  part  of  the  prosecution ;  and  twelve  months  of  dili 
gent  study  on  my  part  for  the  acquisition  of  the  very  knowledge ; 
the  pursuit  of  which,  was,  in  truth,  the  real  cause  of  the  hostility 
of  the  power  that  had  seized  and  held  me.  It  sought  to 
punish  me  for  spying  out  the  land ;  and  yet  had  placed  me  in  the 
midst  of  the  best,  and  most  zealous  of  instructors, — eager  to  teach 
me  all  its  means  of  strength,  and  all  its  sources  of  weakness. 
In  seeking  to  punish  me  for  entertaining  feelings  of  hostility  to 
the  Government,  I  had  been  placed  in  the  rankest  atmosphere  of 
treason  in  Netherland  India ;  and  now,  the  consummation  of  all 
this  was  to  be  shown,  in  a  public  display  of  executive  domination, 
of  judicial  incapacity,  of  a  confusion  of  all  laws,  and  in  a  most 
imbecile  decision  of  justice. 

The  forces  of  the  Government  were  marshalled  at  the  Stad- 
huis;  a  grim  old  fabric,  consecrated  to  injustice  by  Speelinan, 
Valckeneir  and  Daendels,  the  chief  hall  of  which  was  still  gar 
nished  with  the  pincers,  thumbscrews,  and  the  brodequins  for 
crushing  tender  feet;  the  relics  of  less  responsible  times.  In 
that  hall  were  assembled  four  judges ;  a  president  and  three  as 
sociates  ;  and  there  was  the  chief  prosecutor  of  the  Government 
and  his  aids ;  there  was  the  Resident,  and  Havermeester  of  Ban- 


436  PRISON    OF   WELTEVREDEN. 

ca ;  there  was  the  Assistant  Resident  of  Palembang ;  the  chief 
did  not  corue,  the  Government  had  some  reasons  for  allowing  him 
to  stay  away ;  the  Shahbander,  the  Topographical  Captain,  two 
lieutenants  of  the  army,  three  officers  of  the  navy,  Bois,  the 
French  soldier;  and  with  these  were  the  Panyorangs  Scherriff  All, 
and  Osnian  Bin  Kassim  Barkaba,  the  Demang  Sapeedin,  some 
binaller  chieftains,  Kiagoos  Lanang,  Bahdoo,  and  Moonchwa ;  and 
the  Chief  of  the  Chinamen  at  Palembang,  the  host  of  the  wed 
ding  feast,  Oey  Soch  Tchay  and  Lim  Boo  Seng ;  this  was  the 
array  of  judges,  prosecutors  and  witnesses  marshalled  against  me 
by  the  Government  of  Netherland  India,  on  the  morning  of  the 
fourteenth  of  February,  1852. 

On  the  part  of  the  defence ;  an  American  naval  Commander, 
who  had  been  begged  to  come,  an  American  functionary  whose 
presence  had  been  solicited  from  the  American  Commissioner  to 
China,  and  an  American  Consular  agent  at  Batavia, — did  not  ap 
pear.  Of  the  crew  of  the  Flirt,  four  had  gone  to  the  hospital, 
and  were  no  more  heard  of;  stout  Jim  had  been  taken,  out  of 
charity,  on  board  a  homeward  bound  ship ;  the  second  mate,  the 
lonely  keeper  of  the  vessel  at  Maceio,  had  gone  to  Singapore,  to 
seek  some  diversion  in  my  favor;  and  besides  the  mate,  a  prisoner 
with  myself,  there  only  remained  poor,  faithful,  uncouth  Pirez, 
as  sole  witness  for  the  defence. 

Some  of  you  witnessed  the  management  of  that  prosecution 
and  defence.  You  know  what  influences  were  brought  to  bear  ; 
what  leading  questions,  used  to  lead  on  a  treacherous  and  hos 
tile  witness ;  what  ready  recording  of  an  answer  when  favorable, 
and  what  delays  and  suggestions  when  doubtful ;  what  gross  in 
justice  manifested  by  the  one,  and  what  skill  or  self  possession, 
manifested  by  the  other. 


PERSONNEL   OF   A    COURT    IN    N.    INDIA.  437 

Yes,  said  the  boatswain,  interrupting,  and  explaining  to  the  lady 
passengers.  I  saw  it  all ;  from  the  first  day  to  the  last ;  and  they 
were  a  long  time  at  it,  ten  whole  days ;  from  early  in  the  morning, 
till  late  in  the  afternoon.  There  was  the  red-faced  old  president, 
whom  I  saw  several  times  rather  unsteady  on  his  timbers,  at  the 
Kotterdamsche  Hotel ;  and  I  was  told  that  he  got  that  way  every 
day  after  dinner,  like  a  good  many  of  our  judges  at  home.  The 
bench  is  pretty  strong  on  grog  generally.  There  was  one  of  the 
black  gowns,  as  dark  looking  in  the  face,  as  that  nice  man  Storm, 
related  to  the  King  of  Dahomey ;  and  the  two  mulattoes  seemed 
to  be  pretty  thick ;  in  another  black  gown,  was  a  man  they  called 
a  Baron,  and  brother  to  the  Adjutant  of  the  Governor  General ; 
and  in  the  fourth  was  an  old  fellow,  past  eighty,  who  could  not 
hold  his  head  up,  and  slept  all  the  time.  They  did  not  look  very 
imposing ;  a  lot  of  hard  Dutch  faces,  all  but  the  mulatto ;  and 
the  head  government  man  was  the  hardest- looking  one  of  the  lot. 

But  those  old  chiefs  from  Sumatra,  in  speckled  coats,  blazing 
with  diamonds,  and  holding  their  crooked  daggers ;  they  looked 
grand.  It  was  a  curious  sight  to  see  them  stand  up,  sway  their 
hands,  sing  a  kind  of  song,  and  raise  and  lower  the  Koran  three 
times  on  their  heads,  when  they  took  an  oath ;  and  a  funny  sight 
to  see  a  Chinaman  lay  hold  of  the  head  of  a  rooster,  and  another 
one  cut  it  off,  when  a  chin-chin  was  sworn ;  but  from  what  I  saw 
and  heard  all  along,  I  think  that  Chinaman,  Malay,  and  Arab, 
can  swallow  the  rooster  and  the  Koran,  and  swear  black  is  white, 
about  as  easy  as  some  of  our  folks  can  gulp  down  the  gospel,  and 
as  many  lies  with  it  as  you  please. 

By  gracious  king  !  I  never  heard  of  such  swearing  in  all  my 
life  before.  I  knew  nothing  what  the  Dutchies  or  the  chaps  with 
the  turbans  said ;  but  our  ship-chandler  at  Batavia,  was  with  me 
all  the  time ;  and  gave  me  the  run  of  their  yarns  as  they  spun 


438  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

'cm  out.  One  Dutchman  swore,  that  he  had  heard  the  Captain  of 
the  Flirt  say,  that  ho  belonged  to  an  association  of  young  men  in 
America,  whose  object  was  to  set  all  uncivilized  people  a  going  on 
their  own  hook;  this  association  had  ten  frigates  armed  with 
paixhan  guns,  unbeknown  to  the  United  States  government ;  but 
where  these  frigates  might  be  hid ;  whether  moored  to  the  North 
or  the  South  pole,  he  did  not  say ;  and  then  the  government  man 
got  up  and  showed  to  the  Court  a  little  piece  of  ribbon,  that  had 
on  *it  in  English ;  "  member  of  the  American  institute ;  "  and  a 
paper,  a  travelling  pass  of  some  American  order ;  and  this  was  to 
confirm  the  story  of  the  man,  who  swore  about  the  frigates  and 
the  paixhans.  I  would  not  have  believed  such  a  stupid  story 
could  have  been  listened  to,  even  by  Dutchmen ;  but  they  spent 
half  a  day  about  it,  in  that  Court ;  and  it  will  be  found  in  black 
and  white,  in  their  big  pile  of  papers. 

But  the  big  gun  of  all,  was  a  letter,  which  the  government 
man  took  out  of  a  strong  copper  box ;  it  was  a  sheet  of  fancy 
white  paper,  all  covered  over  with  what  looked  like  mice  tracks, 
and  this  he  handled  as  gingerly,  as  if  it  were  the  real  original 
Declaration  of  Independence,  written  by  Washington.  He  carried 
it  with  both  hands,  like  a  parson  would  the  sacrament,  and  laid  it 
before  the  chief  judge.  Then  the  Captain  was  called  up  to  the 
desk ;  the  paper  was  laid  before  him ;  the  government  man,  watch 
ing,  ready  to  spring ;  as  though  he  expected  a  grab  at  the  precious 
document.  The  Captain  was  told  to  look  at  it  close ;  and  to  say, 
did  he  sign  that  paper  or  not.  He  plumped  right  out,  no ;  he 
had  never  seen  it  before,  never  had  such  a  piece  of  paper  in  his 
possession ;  never  had  authorized  any  such  words,  as  were  then 
translated ;  which  said ;  that  he  would  assist  some  Sultan  there 
over  in  Sumatra  with  powder,  balls,  cannon  and  blunderbusses; 
that  he  would  lend  him  the  use  of  the  United  States  Navy ;  that 


EVIDENCE   IN    A    DUTCH    COURT.  439 

he  would  use  up  all  the  Dutchmen  round  about  in  those  parts  gen 
erally,  and  make  the  Sultan  of  Jambee  a  present  of  the  territory 
of  Palembang.  The  Captain  said  that  he  knew  nothing  of  such 
stuff;  he  had  ordered  a  letter  to  be  sent,  he  had  signed  one ;  he  had 
been  asked  if  he  had  done  so,  when  he  came  to  Batavia ;  but 
never,  till  now,  had  he  looked  at  the  document.  The  one  he  had 
signed  was  on  blue  paper ;  this  one  was  a  miserable  forgery. 

Never  did  you  see  such  a  lot  of  Dutchmen,  all  struck  of  a 
heap.  The  tippling  president  pitched  clean  back  in  his  seat ;  the 
old  judge  put  on  his  spectacles  wrongways  up ;  and  every  body 
stared  at  the  government  man  to  see  what  he  would  have  to  say. 
He  jawed  and  puckered  up  his  mouth  a  while,  and  then  he  made 
a  dive  into  the  copper  box  again ;  and  brought  out  a  little  yellow- 
covered  book,  knotched  with  the  alphabet  along  the  edges ;  and 
he  turned  over,  and  showed  the  Malay  words  for  guns,  cannon, 
ships ;  and  a  good  many  of  the  words  found  in  the  letter ;  this 
book  was  the  vocabulary  of  the  Captain,  when  at  Palembang; 
and  proved  that  he  knew  Malay  words  enough  to  make  up  the 
letter.  The  Captain  said  he  had  never  put  down  such  words  in 
the  blank  book ;  he  looked  at  it ;  and  then  pointed  out  to  the 
Court,  that  all  these  ugly  words  were  at  the  end  of  each  list,  and 
written  in  quite  a  different  hand  to  those  that  had  gone  before 
them.  The  judges  looked  puzzled;  and  the  government  man 
seemed  to  be  taken  aback  again,  till  he  made  another  dive  into  the 
copper  box ;  and  brought  out  a  cord  of  old  papers  belonging  to 
the  Captain ;  begging  notes  from  school  to  a  certain  old  governor 
for  supplies ;  old  love  letters,  tailors'  bills ;  and  something  of  that 
sort,  I  suppose,  although  I  did  not  see ;  at  any  rate,  they  were 
brought  out  to  show  that  there  was  writing,  among  them,  that 
looked  mightily  like  the  signature  of  the  mouse-track  letter ;  and 
these  papers  were  handed  over  to  two  schoolmasters,  and  they 


440  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

were  to  report,  and  they  did  so,  the  next  day ;  saying  that  some 
pothooks  and  down  strokes  were  like  the  signing  of  that  Jambee 
declaration  of  Independence ;  but  they  could  not  swear  that  the 
same  fist  that  signed  it,  had  written  all  the  schoolboy  duns,  lovo 
letters,  and  tailors'  bills,  they  had  been  looking  over. 

The  government  man  did  not  seem  to  make  much  out  of  the 
big  gun ;  and  then  he  tried  some  smaller  ones,  in  overhauling  the 
turbaned  chaps.  Every  body  that  was  looking  on  in  Court ; — and 
every  American,  English,  German  and  French  resident  of  Batavia 
was  there,  all  the  time ; — every  body  I  heard  talk,  said  that  the 
Government  would  get  just  such  talk  as  they  wanted  out  of  the 
natives.  But  there  never  was  such  a  lot  of  forgetful  witnesses ; 
they  beat  shy  old  salts  at  that  game ;  except  the  two  rascally  ser 
vants,  well  known  at  Batavia  as  government  policemen;  all 
the  rest  did  not  say  ono  word,  that  could  be  turned  against 
the  Captain ;  they  all  swore,  they  could  not  understand  one  word 
he  said.  But  the  government  man  had  got  some  hook  on  to  one, 
the  grand  old  Arab  Panyorang ;  he  had  let  out  somehow,  to  some 
Dutch  officers,  about  some  conversation  with  the  Captain ;  and 
when  he  said  that  he '  did  not  understand  the  language  of  the 
Captain,  the  Dutch  officers  swore  that  he  had  said  he  did,  and 
must  be  lying. 

Then  old  turban  stood  up ;  the  dark  eyes  of  the  Arab  flashed ; 
but  there  was  not  the  move  of  a  muscle  in  the  face,  nor  a  single 
quivering  hair,  in  that  splendid  long  white  beard ;  he  said  that 
he  had  understood  something  of  the  thoughts  of  the  American 
Tuan,  but  not  by  words;  they  had  spoken  with  their  hands, 
their  eyes,  and  their  brains.  He  was  a  splendid  old  man ;  and  rose 
up  and  spoke,  and  sat  down  like  the  President  of  the  United 
States  of  Arabia.  The  rliiof  nown  of  the  Court  spoke  to  the 
venerable  Chief;  he  said  that  he  and  his  fellow-judges  could  not 


PANTOMIME  IN  A  DUTCH  COURT.  441 

well  believe  such  a  story.  The  old  man  rose  again,  with  a  quiet- 
look  of  contempt  at  the  whole  Court;  he  was  sure  that  the 
American  Tuan  could  prove  his  words  true,  on  the  spot ; — he  was 
skilful,  let  them  try  him. 

Old  toper  whispered  awhile  to  the  mulatto,  the  Baron,  and 
old  sleepy  head ;  then  they  called  a  translator  to  the  desk ;  he 
wrote  down  something  and  handed  it  to  the  Captain,  who  was  to 
repeat  the  contents  with  his  hands  to  the  Arab  President ;  and 
he  afterwards  should  repeat  it  to  the  Court.  I  have  been  to  those 
French  shows,  where  they  do  nothing  but  talk  with  hands ;  and 
never  could  make  any  thing  out  of  their  winking,  and  clawing  and 
sawing  of  the  air ;  but  I  never  expected  to  see  a  show  of  panto 
mime  in  a  Dutch  court,  by  an  American  skipper. 

The  Captain  faced  the  worthy  old  venerable,  with  the  turban 
and  the  long  beard ;  both  looked  hard  at  each  other ;  but  never 
moved  a  muscle ;  every  body  in  the  pit  was  crawding  up  to  the 
foot-lights  to  see ;  and  as  I  can  make  tracks  in  a  crowd,  I  got  a 
front  seat.  Our  Captain  pointed  to  the  turban  of  the  Panyorang ; 
made  little  circles  with  his  thumb  and  forefinger ;  counted  fifty 
with  his  fingers;  he  pointed  to  the  turban  again,  and  then  to  his 
coat  pocket,  he  waved  his  hands,  and  made  all  sorts  of  motions 
to  make  out  that  he  went  a  sailing ;  he  worked  his  feet  like  on  a 
treadle,  he  swayed  something  with  the  left  hand ;  and  pitched 
something  with  the  right,  that  looked  mighty  like  weaving ;  and 
then  he  went  a  waving  again,  and  looked  like  a  man  coming  back 
from  somewhere ;  and  he  seemed  to  pull  something  out  of  his 
pocket,  he  counted  twenty  with  his  fingers ;  and  then  looked  at 
the  Panyorang  sort  o'  smiling,  like  one  of  our  down-easters,  ask 
ing  a  man  to  trade  for  a  horse  or  a  quintal  of  cod  fish. 

The  old  patriarch  rose  up  and  said ;  that  the  American  Tuan 
proposed  to  give  him  fifty  dollars  for  his  turban;  saying  also, 
19* 


442  PRISON    OF   WELTEVREDEN. 

that  he  would  take  it  home,  and  have  others  made  like  it,  which 
he  would  sell  him  for  twenty.  The  old  man  asked  if  he  had 
spoken  right ;  and  wanted  to  know,  if  the  judges  had  something 
besides  propositions  for  buying  and  selling  to  try  the  skill  of  the 
American  Tuan ;  but  they  were  satisfied ;  and  the  show  ended. 
All  of  this  doing  was  written  down  by  two  quilldrivers  in  front 
of  the  chief  bigwig's  scat. 

The  next  thing  in  the  programme  of  this  curious  trial,  was 
the  hauling  up  of  the  Captain's  nigger,  who  was  not  the  hand 
somest  Cuffee  I  ever  saw;  but  the  fellow  looked  as  if  he  was 
made  of  some  good  stuff,  far  better  than  his  cousin  from  Palem- 
bang,  the  relation  of  the  King  of  Dahomey.  A  Portugue'  man 
spoke  to  him,  and  he  blubbered  out  some  awful  crotchety  words, 
that  set  judges,  and  all  of  the  crowd  around  me,  in  full  grin. 
Cuffee  jerked  out  something  pretty  hard,  and  looked  marline 
spikes  at  the  Van  Breeks,  and  the  bad  do,  or  do  bad  man  of  the 
Captain.  Old  president  wanted  to  know  what  he  was  driving  at ; 
Portugue'  man  could  not  tell ;  other  chaps,  sharp  on  lingo,  trans 
lators  of  the  Court,  they  tried  and  could  do  nothing ;  somebody 
said,  let  his  master  interpret ;  and  then  the  Captain  stood  up, 
and  looking  solemn,  said  that  the  witness,  Pirez,  had  seen  upon 
the  person  of  Bahdoo,  who  was  present,  a  sash  which  had  be 
longed  to  him ;  he  had  called  him  a  thief;  said  that  he  had 
helped  Dutch  soldiers  to  plunder  the  cabin  of  the  Flirt;  and 
that  such  thieves,  who  wore  combs  in  their  hair  like  women, 
wouldn't  eat  pork,  and  didn't  believe  in  Christ  and  San  Antonio, 
ought  not  be  let  say  one  word  against  his  master. 

There  was  a  break  down  after  this,  the  grin  went  off  into  a 
galloping  laugh ;  a  man  with  a  gilt  stick  pounded  away  awhile, 
old  president  looked  sober,  and  asked  Portugue'  man  to  try  Cuffee 
again ;  as  he  seemed  to  think  that  the  Captain  had  been  dressing 
a  Ittle,  but  nothing  could  be  done  with  Cuffee  by  the  Portugue' 


A    VERDICT    OF    ACQUITTAL.  443 

man;  then  all  the  blackgowns  put  noses  together,  whispered 
awhile ;  and  after  a  time,  old  three  sheets  in  the  wind  said,  that 
the  witness  must  be  dismissed ;  as  the  Court  was  without  a  com 
petent  translator.  The  Captain  protested  against  this ;  and  said 
he  was  his  only  witness ;  it  would  not  do ;  Cuffee  was  not  wanted, 
and  he  stepped  out. 

And  half  the  time  was  taken  up  by  some  more  farces  like  this  ; 
all  kinds  of  funny  stories  were  told,  that  never  would  be  believed 
in  America.  The  Captain  was  chief  lawyer  all  the  time,  over 
hauling  every  witness  in  his  own  lingo ;  and  keeping  up  a  run 
ning  fight  with  the  government  man.  They  kept  at  it  for  nine 
days,  and  on  the  tenth,  the  government  man  made  a  pretty  long 
yarn, — asking  that  the  Captain  have  permission  to  stand  in  the  pil 
lory  two  hours,  and  then  work  twelve  years  for  the  Dutch  Govern 
ment  to  pay  for  his  board  in  prison ;  which  modest  request  was 
answered  by  two  lawyers,  who  had  not  opened  their  mouths,  but 
a  chance  time  or  two,  all  the  days  before.  Then  you  know  there 
was  another  grand  sitting ;  every  body  in  Batavia  was  crowding 
round  the  old  Court  House ;  the  black  gowns  were  in  their  places, 
the  Captain  standing  up,  whilst  old  president  read  off  a  long  paper ; 
saying,  that  the  Captain  did  not  come  out  East  with  the  best  of 
feelings  to  the  Dutch,  that  if  he  hadn't  taken  Palembang,  it  was 
not  for  the  want  of  the  will  to  try ;  that  they  might  thank  their 
stars,  that  the  old  Flirt  was  not  as  in  old  times,  when  off  in  the 
Gulf  with  brave  Nicholson,  with  seventy  men  and  eight  long 
twelve-pounders  aboard ;  that  it  was  clear  that  the  Captain  wanted 
to  scrape  up  an  acquaintance  with  them  ragers  and  Sultans  in 
Sumatra,  that  he  had  got  some  one  to  write  a  letter,  and  might 
have  written  it  himself,  if  he  had  known  how ;  and  it  was  kind 
of  insinuated  that  he  did  know  how,  and  a  good  deal  more  than 
he  had  a  right  to,  for  the  good  of  the  Dutch ;  but  after  all,  that 


444  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

this  was  not  exactly  high  treason  against  Holland ;  he  was  not 
guilty  of  that  crime ;  and  it  was  decreed  that  he  should  have  his 
vessel,  and  go  on  his  way  rejoicing.  And  then  you  know,  we  had 
a  jubilee ;  and  I  whipped  that  big  boxer  at  the  Rotterdamsche 
hotel.  But  why  the  Captain  did  not  get  away ;  he  can  tell  bet 
ter  himself. 

Our  friend,  the  Boatswain,  said  the  Commander,  resuming  his 
narrative,  has  given  you  the  chief  features  of  the  trial,  with  some 
of  his  own  peculiar  coloring.  The  test  of  the  pantomime  was  an 
undignified  proceeding  for  a  Court  of  Justice,  and  was  contemp 
tuously  proposed  by  the  old  Arab  Chieftain,  whose  veracity  had 
been  so  grossly  doubted.  The  refusal  to  send  for  an  interpreter 
who  had  understood  Pirez  on  a  former  occasion,  and  thus  depriving 
me  of  my  only  witness,  was  an  act  of  wanton  injustice.  The 
alleged  treasonable  letter ;  and  the  words  of  hostile  import,  added 
to  the  vocabulary,  were  manifest  forgeries,  and  so  pronounced  by 
my  counsel,  by  many  judges ;  and  excepting  the  officers  of  the 
Government,  by  all  who  saw  them  there. 

And  fifteen  months  after  that  trial,  the  then  arraigned  pris 
oner  was  in  the  capital  city  of  the  country  of  his  judges  in  Europe. 
He  went  there,  though  an  alleged  fugitive  from  justice  ;  and  the 
same  spirit  of  blundering,  that  seized  him  in  Sumatra,  that 
did  not  know  what  to  do  with  him  during  fifteen  months 
in  prison,  that  acquitted  and  condemned  him  four  times,  that  could 
not  keep  him  when  he  was  ready  to  go ;  did  there  at  the  Hague, 
in  the  person  of  a  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  did  in  the  eagerness 
of  fear,  at  a  time,  when  the  government  of  the  United  States  had 
assumed  an  attitude  of  decision  to  have  wrongs  redressed,  did  send 
to  the  late  prisoner  of  Weltevreden,  the  convict  of  Dutch  justice, 
walking  abroad  in  the  capital  of  Holland,  did  send  to  him  defer- 


MOTIVES    FOR    QUALIFYING    A    VERDICT.  445 

entially,  thinking  it  to   be   some   other   worthless  matter, the 

famous  Jambee  letter,  all  his  own  much  deplored  papers,  his  vocab 
ulary  ;  and  voluminous  evidences  of  the  infamous  policy  of  the 
Netherland  India  Government 

You  will  have  been  led  to  suppose,  that  I  had  none  but  friends 
in  the  local  Court  of  Justice  of  Batavia ;  and  such  was  the  case, 
during  the  first  proceedings  instituted  against  me ;  the  declaration 
of  the  absurdity  of  the  charge  alleged  against  me  was  then  un 
qualified  ;  it  was  repeated  a  second,  and  a  third  time ;  but  prior  to 
this  public  trial,  the  court  had  undergone  some  changes  in  its  compo 
sition;  it  had  been  coerced  so  often,  and  driven  into  further  action 
by  a  superior  secret  tribunal,  acting  under  the  direct  influence  of 
the  Government,  and  holding  a  precarious  judicial  tenure  under 
the  absolute  military  government,  which  controls  Java ;  it  is  per 
haps  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  this  Court  in  its  last  decision  of 
acquittal,  should  this  time  have  thought  proper  to  make  a  con 
cession  to  Government,  by  qualifying  their  decision,  with  many 
unfounded  charges  of  evil  intent  alleged  against  me. 

The  mad  lawyer  uttered  an  unquestionable  truth  in  his  daily 
refrain :  there  is  no  law  in  Netherland  India ;  not  that  there  is 
no  law  administered ;  but  no  code  that  belongs  to  the  country. 
A  confusion  of  all  law  was  jumbled  up  in  my  case ;  the  jurispru 
dence  of  old  Rome,  the  pandects,  the  Julian  law  of  majesty,  old 
English  larws  of  attainder,  the  code  of  Napoleon,  and  German, 
and  Italian  codes ;  a  medley  of  the  laws  of  all  nations,  adminis 
tered  by  a  servile  bench  of  judicial  pensioners. 

The  Government  had  not  obtained  a  condemnation,  but  some 
portion  of  their  array  of  witnesses  had  given  some  color  of  excuse 
for  my  seizure,  and  thus  one  object  of  the  trial  was  secured;  but 
was  the  other,  the  influence  on  the  native  mind,  realized  ?  Who 


446  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

shall  tell,  what  impressions  were  produced  upon  the  stately  Arab 
prince,  and  the  Malay  chieftains.  Him  whom  they  had  seen  fall 
into  the  hands  of  their  hated  oppressors,  and  then  carried  away 
in  the  ship,  that  was  the  decoy  and  prison  of  their  great  chief 
tain,  whom  they  might  have  expected  to  see  wasted  in  strength 
and  broken  in  spirit,  they  now  saw  in  the  midst  of  his  jailers, 
with  the  same  front  that  they  saw  in  Sumatra. 

The  native  mind  could  not  form  any  high  conception  of 
Dutch  power,  when  they  saw  an  unaided  man  magnified  into  a  gov 
ernment  foe;  they  could  not  have  been  much  impressed  with  the 
dignity  of  Dutch  justice,  after  witnessing  the  proceedings,  which 
have  been  truthfully,  though  somewhat  humorously  described  by 
our  friend  the  Boatswain.  The  same  power  and  the  same  justice, 
that  was  there,  has  been  wielding  a  sway  and  exercising  a  jurisdic 
tion  in  the  Archipelago  for  upwards  of  two  hundred  years ;  and 
yet  the  native  mind  remains  the  same ;  unchanged  as  the  native 
costume ;  the  same  ignorance  of  the  religion  that  their  masters 
profess  to  believe ;  the  same  indifference  to  the  civilization  they 
boast ;  for  what  has  it  done  for  them  ?  And  what  single  act  can 
be  pointed  out  in  the  whole  history  of  Dutch  rule  in  the  East, 
that  should  cause  the  native  mind  to  respect  their  religion,  their 
laws,  or  their  civilization  ? 

But  the  people  of  the  Archipelago  are  not  so  weak  and 
base  in  character ;  so  helplessly  besotted  in  bigotry  of  supersti 
tion,  as  to  prevent  them  from  realizing  an  ameliorating  change. 
No  Asiatic  races  are  so  quick  in  perception  as  the  Malay;  none 
so  truthful,  industrious  and  docile  as  the  Javanese ;  no  Mahom- 
medan  or  pagan  nations,  so  entirely  free  from  any  cruel  or  de 
grading  superstitions ;  and  no  people  so  willing  to  listen  to  dif 
ferences  of  creed  or  opinion;  yet  they  have  learned  nothing 
from  one  representation  of  European  civilization,  during  upwards 


FRIENDLY    GREETINGS    AND    REMEMBRANCES.  447 

of  two  hundred  years.  And  what  might  they  learn  from  any 
other?  Let  us  look  a  little  farther  into  the  native  mind,  as 
developed  by  my  experience,  and  see. 

On  the  last  day  of  the  trial,  on  the  breaking  up  of  the  Court, 
there  was  a  thronging  around  me  of  persons,  and  a  good  deal 
of  inquiry  and  congratulation.  Friend  Brower,  contrary  to  the 
strict  injunction  of  the  Fiskaal,  allowed  me  a  little  liberty  to 
range  about,  before  returning  to  the  prison.  After  talking  awhile 
with  some  of  you  my  friends,  as  you  will  remember,  and  other 
Americans,  English,  French  and  Dutch  friends  present,  I  then 
exchanged  a  few  hurried  greetings  and  cordial  words  of  goodwill 
with  my  native  friends  from  Palembang  and  Banca. 

The  venerable  Scherriff  Ali,  was  rejoiced  to  hear  me  speak 
like  one  of  the  sons  of  Pulo  Percha ;  I  had  the  tongue  now,  as 
well  as  the  heart ;  all  the  people  of  Palembang  were  prepared  to 
meet  me  with  heart's  wish  and  salutation.  Abdallah  should  join 
me,  when  I  came  with  my  ship  again ;  his  mother  would  oppose 
no  more.  Captain  Aboubakr  was  there,  and  grasped  one  hand, 
whilst  the  Panyorang  his  father  grasped  the  other.  A  very  old 
Malay  chieftain  stepped  forward,  the  Demang  Sapeedin,  about 
seventy-six  years  of  age ;  he  had  given  me  some  old  chronicles  of 
Menangkabau,  and  a  collection  of  pantuns.  My  son  looks  strong 
he  said ;  he  has  been  singing  pantuns,  he  has  not  been  weeping  in 
the  house  of  care.  It  is  well ;  my  children  on  the  Ileer  Keed- 
ookan  will  rejoice.  Soch  Tchay  met  me  with  his  usual  merry 
laugh,  Company  had  spent  much  money  to  bring  Chinaman, 
Arab  and  Malay  from  Palembang;  but  all  got  lock  on  their 
mouths.  His  friend  Pood  Djang  had  said,  lock  mouth  fast,  and 
leave  key  at  home.  When  Tuan  come  to  Palembang,  Chinaman, 
Arab  and  Malay  will  open  mouth  again.  Poor  Lim  Boo  Seng 
looked  rather  dispirited ;  there  was  not  the  same  cause  to  fear 


448  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

the  Chinamen  and  natives  at  Banca  as  at  Palembang;  he  had 
been  very  roughly  treated  by  the  Resident ;  and  forced  to  come 
to  Batavia,  and  leave  his  business  without  compensation ;  whilst 
those  who  came  from  Palembang  had  secured  a  good  guaranty 
for  their  payment ;  and  for  their  safe  return  before  they  left, 
which  was  the  greatest,  and  most  profitless  expenditure  that  the 
Government  had  incurred  in  the  case.  I  give  no  more  kimlo  to 
American  Captain  at  Minto,  said  poor  Lim  Boo  Seng. 

The  pleasant  words  of  good  will,  so  eagerly,  though  some 
what  timidly,  uttered  by  my  native  friends,  were  most  grateful  to 
my  feelings,  which  I  sought  to  return  with  full  warmth  and 
strongest  expressions  of  regard  for  their  welfare.  Think  of  mo 
in  America,  were  the  last  words,  that  Panyorang  Laksana  had 
said ;  and  such  were  the  last  I  heard  from  the  mouth  of  Panyo 
rang  ScherrifF  Ali. 

Brower  had  come  to  hasten  me ;  the  prison  carriage  was  wait 
ing.  In  coming  away,  I  saw  in  a  recess  in  a  passage  way,  part 
of  a  native  dress ;  Brower  passed  by,  and  then  it  came  forth ;  and 
Kiagoos  Lanang  came  before  me;  he  crouched  down;  he  wanted 
to  take  my  hand,  I  bade  him  stand  up.  He  had  felt  heart  sick 
ness,  ever  since  the  night  that  he  wrote  the  letter  for  the  Sultan 
of  Jambee.  Moonchwa  had  told  him  the  words  he  must  put  in 
that  letter ;  he  was  afraid ;  Moonchwa  was  an  oppas  of  the  Com 
pany,  and  Kiagoos  did  as  he  said.  Kiagoos  was  a  dog;  and 
his  heart  was  sick ;  but  he  wanted  to  tell  Tuan  that  his  heart  was 
not  all  bad.  I  was  happy  to  hear  him  speak,  I  did  not  feel  angry 
with  him,  or  even  with  Bahdoo  or  Moonchwa;  they  were  but 
weak  children  in  the  hands  of  a  bad  master.  If  I  were  free,  he 
should  eat  rice  with  me,  the  same  as  before.  Kiagoos  grasped 
both  my  hands,  Brower  called;  I  hurried  away  from  my  late 


A    JURO   TULI8,    OR    MALAY    SECRETARY.  449 

secretary ;    and    this  was  my  last  and   a   gratifying  experience 
with  those  whom  I  knew  at  Palembang 


An  old  man  stood  at  the  main  entrance  of  the  Stadhuis ;  the 
sorrowful  uncomplaining  face  of  Wirojoyo  was  before  me,  that 
said  in  every  line,  no  news  of  iny  poor  child,  no  news  of  Sahyeepah ; 
and  I  returned  to  prison  with  an  oppressed  mind,  to  await  the 
decision  of  the  great  Star  Chamber  tribunal  of  Netherlands 
India. 


FIFTY-SECOND  DAY. 

THE  thirteenth  month  of  my  stay  in  prison  was  gone ;  the  four 
teenth  entered  upon,  and  half  passed  away;  and  still  no  decision 
of  the  Star  Chamber.  Judges  delaying,  having  a  bad  case ;  but 
Government  pressing  hard,  fearful  of  rebukes  and  reclamations. 
Justice  at  Batavia,  was  waiting  more  than  ever,  for  something  to 
turn  up  ;  but  there  was  nothing  more  than  a  very  badly  devised 
piece  of  Malay  writing;  some  free  words,  the  every  day  out 
spoken  language  of  America,  spoken  to  some  Malay  ears,  there 
was  nothing  more  for  a  government  to  urge ;  no  other  material, 
for  the  much  needed  conviction  of  higli  treason ;  and  thus,  many 
weary,  anxious,  hoping,  doubting  days  were  passed ;  waiting  for 
the  decision  of  the  High  Court  of  Netherland  India;  and  in 
looking,  also,  even  till  I  had  ceased  to  look,  for  the  return  of 
Sahyeepah. 

You  will  feel,  that  I  am  not  going  to  say,  that  she  never 
returned;  but  have  sought  to  make  you  feel  some  of  my  own 
anxiety  at  that  time ;  that  you  might  the  better  appreciate  my 
sense  of  relief,  when  I  saw  one  day,  at  my  cell  door,  all  radiant 
with  joy,  beaming  with  good  news,  the  simple,  glad  face  of 
Wirojoyo. 

Sahyeepah  had  come ;  had  come  alone ;  the  old  woman  was 
gone,  the  boy  was  gone ;  and  little  horse,  and  cart,  and  all 
but  Sahyeepah,  all  were  gone,  by  the  will  of  Allah.  And  she, 
poor  child,  was  weary,  was  sick ;  her  face  was  thin ;  she  had 


THE    JOYFUL    RETURN.  451 

come  from  a  land  of  death,  but  was  strong  in  heart;  a  brave 
child  was  Sahyeepah ;  would  come  to  see  Tuan  his  son,  very 
soon.  Such  were  the  news  of  Wirojoyo. 

And  the  day  after  this,  I  saw  him  again,  more  joyous  in  face 
than  the  day  before.  He  felt  that  there  was  a  pleasanter  pres 
ence  than  his  own,  along  with  him.  The  faithful  messenger  was 
before  me.  Much  altered  indeed;  two  years  of  change  had 
been  produced  by  two  months  of  fatigues  and  fears ;  the  tracings 
of  stronger  feeling,  of  more  enlarged  intelligence,  and  of  a 
deeper  enthusiasm  were  to  be  seen  in  the  wasted  face.  She  had 
a  strange,  and  a  long  story  to  tell ;  she  did  not  tell  it  all  on  this 
first  visit ;  but  in  the  course  of  many  more,  after  her  return.  I 
will  put  those  separate  tellings  together,  and  some  notes  of  hers, 
as  she  had  learned  from  me  to  keep ;  and  relate  to  you,  in  the 
words  that  I  listened  to,  and  read, 

THE   JOURNEY    OF    SAHYEEPAH. 

When  Diporo  turned  back  at  Bogor;  Sahyeepah  was  alone, 
without  father,  without  brother  ;  the  path  was  dark  before  her  ; 
but  she  did  not  look  back  on  the  lighter  path  behind.  Her  heart 
was  little ;  but  she  would  carry  the  message  of  great  value  on 
the  dark  road.  Sahyeepah  was  a  poor,  weak  slave  to  do  this  thing ; 
but  the  voice  of  Panyorang  Djaya  Laksana,  said  in  her  heart ; 
my  little  daughter,  the  wild  rock  deer  can  do  the  wish  of  Tuan, 
his  son  ;  and  she  would  do  it. 

Ayum  and  the  boy,  had  no  voice  whispering  in  their  hearts ; 
they  wanted  to  follow  the  road  that  had  light  upon  it,  back  to 
Batavia;  but  Djala,  the  little  horse,  has  his  head  turned  to  the 
East,  and  they  move  on ;  they  go  along  the  great  road  of  the 
Shetan  Wolanda  (the  Dutch  satan  Dacndels) ;  Sahyeepah  sees  a 


452  PRISON   OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

great  cloud  from  a  hill  top,  she  loses  it  in  a  valley ;  but  from  an 
other  hill  top,  she  sees  the  same  cloud ;  it  is  greater  now ;  ayah  ! 
it  is  not  a  cloud ;  it  is  the  great  mountain  Gedeh ;  higher  than 
the  clouds ;  and  Suwanggee,  the  magician,  who  knows  the  will  of 
Allah,  lives  at  the  foot  of  Gedeh;  and  she  will  speak  with  Su 
wanggee. 

Sahyeepah  speaks  with  a  good  woman,  with  a  friendly  face ; 
she  tells  her  of  Suwanggee ;  he  is  like  a  man  of  the  air ;  the  eyes 
would  see  through  him ;  he  lives  in  a  tchandy,  one  of  the  works 
of  Raden  Panji,  a  hero  of  the  old  times ;  of  the  days  of  Mata- 
rem.  Sahyeepah  enters  the  tchandy  alone ;  she  comes  to  a  door, 
as  the  good  woman  had  said ;  she  calls  out ;  Tuan  Suwanggee, 
who  is  great,  who  has  all  knowledge  in  his  heart,  who  knows  the 
will  of  Allah,  your  slave,  a  poor  woman,  wants  the  fine  ointment 
from  the  burning  heart  of  Gedeh,  to  light  her  path  on  a  great 
journey ;  and  bring  her  back  safe  to  her  father  and  her  brothers. 
She  has  spoken  all  her  wish.  A  small  voice,  very  little  in 
deed  ;  like  the  voice  of  a  child,  speaking  through  a  reed ;  said, 
why  did  the  woman  speak  with  a  crooked  tongue ;  she  was  not 
poor,  she  had  many  rupees,  and  curious  things  of  the  rich  city  of 
Batavia ;  she  must  speak  truth,  all  her  thought,  if  she  would 
get  the  help  of  Suwanggee,  and  the  fine  ointment  from  the  burn 
ing  heart  of  Gedeh. 

Sahyeepah  trembled,  she  had  offended  the  man  of  air,  who  saw 
all  her  thought.  She  said,  she  had  some  little  things  of  silver 
filigree,  made  by  poor  people  of  Pulo  Percha ;  and  she  had  some 
oil  of  fine  herbs  to  sell.  And  she  had  only  one  hundred  rupees 
to  travel  to  Surakarta.  The  voice  said  it  was  well ;  she  must 
place  ten  silver  rupees  in  the  buffalo's  horn  at  the  door ;  and  sho 
would  find  the  fine  ointment  in  the  shell  of  a  ketapan  nut  lying  in 
her  path,  as  she  went  out;  with  part  of  which  she  must  anoint 


CREDULITY  AND  COURAGE.  453 

the  palms  of  her  hands  and  the  soles  of  her  feet ;  and  the  rest 
she  must  bury  in  the  valley  out  of  sight  of  Gredeh.  Sahyeepah 
placed  the  money  as  commanded ;  and  found  a  ketapan  shell  fitted 
very  curious ;  and  full  of  oil,  that  had  the  smell  of  fire,  and  of 
flowers ;  and  she  did  as  directed  by  Suwanggee. 

Then  Sahyeepah  went  forward  with  a  stronger  heart ;  she  did 
not  fear  the  night  shade  that  came  quick,  hiding  the  top  of 
Gredeh;  as  she  went  down  into  a  deep  valley,  on  the  way  to 
Tchanjore,  there  burying  the  ketapan  nut.  She  had  seen  the  roof 
poles  of  a  dessa,  from  the  hill  top,  near  the  tchandy  of  Suwanggee ; 
she  would  soon  pass  the  shade  of  the  valley,  and  rest  with  some 
good  people  of  the  dessa.  Djala  puts  down  his  feet  very  fast  ; 
Java  pony  knows  where  the  dessa  is,  and  the  pahdee,  and  nice 
herb  and  water.  Djala  wants  rest  like  Sahyeepah,  Ayum,  and 
Ambon.  Adah  1  there  is  much  grief,  much  woe,  before  Djala  has 
rest.  .  "; 

Quick  from  the  road  border  where  thickest  and  darkest, 
sprang  two  men  of  Satan ;  their  eyes  burning  in  the  night  shade. 
Djala  is  stopped,  Ambon  falls  from  his  seat;  Ayum  screams, 
Sahyeepah  trembles.  Where  was  the  cunning  work  to  sell,  of  the 
peddlers,  and  where  were  the  rupees  of  the  Company ;  quick,  they 
cry;  and  Sahyeepah  sees  the  klewang  knife  flash  in  the  dark 
shade  in  the  valley.  Ayum  gives  the  wallet  of  leather,  that 
holds  the  money  and  the  filigree;  the  robbers  look,  and  cry; 
there  are  more  rupees,  only  fifty  in  the  wallet.  Ayum  has  no 
more,  her  mistress  has  the  rest  fastened  beneath  her  sarong. 
The  foul  men  approach  Sahyeepah ;  they  will  lay  hands  upon  her ; 
they  will  remove  her  sarong.  Sahyeepah  is  the  granddaughter  of 
Panyorang  Djaya  Laksana ;  she  carries  the  kriss  of  the  daughters 
of  Pulo  Percha ;  the  point  is  in  the  face  of  the  djins ;  the  point 
that  never  fails ;  Allah,  the  little  hearts  of  evil  draw  back ;  there 


454  PRISON    OF    WELTEVHEDEN. 

are  the  sound  of  steps  in  the  valley ;  and  the  sons  of  Satan  flee 
with  the  wallet. 

Sahyeepah  had  thrown  back  her  head  proudly, — imitating  the 
action  of  drawing  the  kriss,  as  she  uttered  the  last  words ;  her 
eyes  lighted  up  with  the  pride  of  womanhood,  and  the  pride  of 
race ;  but  I  was  thinking  at  the  time,  how  that  she,  who  had  so 
boldly  met  two  robbers,  had  trembled  at  the  anger  of  the  ma 
gician  ;  who  I  doubted  not  was  one  of  the  two,  and  was  as  I  heard 
afterwards  from  other  sources,  one  of  those  impostors,  rather  com 
mon  in  Java,  as  well  as  in  more  enlightened  countries ;  who  learn 
from  the  simple  souls,  who  come  to  consult  them,  the  weight  of 
their  purse  and  the  way  to  it,  and  then  rob  them  of  it,  by  clair 
voyance,  astrology,  spiritualism,  or  some  ointment  from  the  centre 
of  Mount  Gedeh.  This  I  explained  to  Sahyeepah,  who  was 
quite  ready  to  believe  that  she,  and  all  the  people  of  Java,  were 
very  silly  to  believe  that  Allah,  who  made  the  sun,  moon,  stars 
and  the  earth,  should  talk  to  his  children  in  old  ruins,  in  curious 
voices ;  and  then  ask  ten  rupees ;  what  did  Allah  want  with  ru 
pees  when  he  made  all  rupees,  and  mount  Gedeh  too  ?  Tuan,  my 
brother  speaks  words  that  are  good,  said  Sahyeepah ;  and  resumed 
her  story. 

The  sounds  the  robbers  heard,  were  feet  of  buffaloes;  a 
coolie  was  driving  them,  returning  from  the  rice  field,  and  going 
to  the  dessa  of  Tugu,  near  by.  Poor  women  weeping,  the  coolie 
pitied  them ;  he  would  have  struck  hard  with  the  pachul,  hoe,  on 
his  shoulder ;  but  his  feet  were  short ;  it  was  too  late  now.  Ka- 
sih-an,  poor  women,  come  to  the  dessa;  eat  rice  with  his  master, 
wash  weary  feet,  and  go  and  speak  their  grief  to  the  Jaksa,  the 


COST  OP  JUSTICE  IN  JAVA.  455 

village  justice ;  and  he  will  send  spearmen  to  follow  the  men  of 
Satan,  who  have  robbed  poor  travellers. 

Djala  was  eating  his  pahdee,  and  Sahyeepah  had  eaten  her  rice ; 
she  goes  to  speak  with  the  Jaksa.  She  speaks  of  the  evil  men  in 
the  valley ;  one  was  stout  and  old ;  the  younger  one  was  tall ; 
and  more  Sahyeepah  tells.  Well  told,  my  child,  says  the  Jaksa, 
the  spearmen  shall  find  them,  in  all  the  road  to  Bogor ;  in  all  the 
great  mountain  Gedeh ;  but  my  child  must  give  thirty  rupees  for 
the  spearmen.  Adah !  the  Suwanggee  has  ten,  the  robbers  have 
taken  fifty;  and  Sahyeepah  has  only  forty  to  go  to  Surakarta. 
The  spearmen  must  have  the  rupees ;  Sahyeepah  cannot  give,  and 
leaves  the  Jaksa  with  a  heavy  heart. 

I  did  not  wish  to  tell  her,  that  the  cost  and  the  delays  of  jus 
tice,  was  the  same  in  my  own  enlightened  country,  as  in  simple, 
ignorant  Java ;  that  any  one,  half  ruined  by  wrong,  must  complete 
that  ruin,  by  giving  up  all  he  has  to  secure  the  aid  of  justice ; 
and  then  too  often  he  makes  the  sacrifice  in  vain. 


Sahyeepah  was  on  the  road,  early  the  next  day  with  Djala, 
Ayum,  and  Ambon ;  her  heart  was  full  of  trouble,  how  can  it  be 
well,  when  the  sack  has  no  rupees ;  but  she  did  not  look  on  the 
road  behind ;  she  looks  before  her ;  and  there  was  Chipanas,  the 
Hot  mountain ;  like  Gedeh ;  great  towers  of  Allah,  to  guide  her 
steps  to  Surakarta.  She  sees  Chipanas  in  the  clouds  no  more ; 
the  third,  the  fourth,  and  the  fifth  day  of  travel  have  passed ; 
without  loss,  without  grief;  and  lodging  in  peace,  in  the  dessas 
on  the  way.  The  great  tchandies  of  Tchanjore  are  passed ;  far 
on,  the  great  hill  of  Tankuban  Prahu  is  seen,  where  Panji  sailed 
in  the  forest. 


456  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

There  is  a  petrifaction  in  this  region  of  country,  resembling  a 
prahu;  a  huge  stone  ship  in  fact,  in  the  forest,  with  which, 
as  with  the  most  of  noted  things  in  Java,  the  name  of  the  hero 
Panji  is  associated. 

Bukit  Tunggil  is  another  great  tower  of  Allah ;  it  guides  the 
steps  of  Sahyeepah  to  Bandong.  She  draws  near  the  town,  and 
hears  a  mighty  roar  of  feet  and  voices  coming  to  meet  her  on  the 
road.  Ambon  pulls  back  the  head  of  Djala  with  fear.  Adah  ! 
what  terror  is  coming ;  clouds  of  dust,  hiding  the  mountains, 
hiding  the  forest;  shouts  of  men,  eating  the  voice  of  Ambon, 
who  cries  to  Djala;  that  hears  not,  that  sees  buffaloes  foaming, 
rushing  on ;  coolies  striking,  shouting ;  great  wheels  rolling  be 
hind;  on  they  come,  and  Djala  runs;  his  heart  is  in  his  eyes, 
and  they  see  devils  on  the  road;  and  Djala  rushes  to  hide  in  the 
forest ;  rushes  with  Sahyeepah,  Ayum,  and  Ambon.  Allah,  have 
mercy !  they  are  all  on  the  ground. 

The  clouds  and  the  roar  pass  by ;  Djala  is  held  by  the  hands 
of  Ambon ;  but  the  cart  is  broken ;  one  wheel  in  little  pieces, 
Ambon  cannot  mend  it ;  Ayum  and  Sahyeepah  cannot.  Weh ! 
kasih-an !  poor  women  must  walk  on  foot  to  Bandong  Sick  feet 
and  sick  hearts  they  have  in  Bandong.  It  will  take  all  their 
money  to  mend  the  cart ;  they  must  leave  it ;  Sahyeepah  sells  it 
for  a  little  sum;  five  times  more  was  given  for  it  in  Batavia. 
This  is  great  sorrow,  great  loss,  and  Sahyeepah  learned  at  Bandong, 
that  a  Tuan,  from  the  land  of  her  brother,  an  American  Tuan 
was  in  the  carriage,  with  the  buffaloes  and  coolies;  he  drank 
strong  water,  like  the  Dutchmen,  he  beat  poor  coolies;  he  beat 
them  to  give  wings  to  buffaloes  on  the  road. 

This  great  loss  of  the  poor  travellers,  was  indeed  caused  by  a 


AMERICA    DISGRACED    IN   JAVA.  457 

fast  driving  American ;  who  came  to  Batavia  on  some  business 
for  parties  elsewhere  in  the  East ;  obtained  a  privilege  to  visit 
the  interior;  and  unfortunately  for  the  good  fame  of  America, 
was  a  representative  only  of  some  of  her  pot-house  vices.  Hard 
drinking,  smoking,  swearing,  and  mad  driving,  fit  for  the  beer 
cellar  and  the  race-course,  were  enacted  by  an  old  American  debau 
chee  at  Bandong,  and  elsewhere  in  Java.  This  kicker  of  coolies, 
this  beater  of  buffaloes,  was  a  great  admirer  of  the  paternal  rule 
of  Holland  in  Netherland  India. 

What  must  Sahyeepah  do  ?  no  cart,  and  so  little  money ;  she 
will  not  turn  back,  and  it  will  be  hard  to  go  on.  Ayuni  and 
Ambon  are  little  of  heart;  how  can  they  travel  now  ?  Sahyeepah 
thinks;  Cheribon  is  not  far  off;  her  father  has  a  foster  brother 
there,  a  good  old  man,  who  will  help  her.  They  will  reach  there  in 
a  short  time  ;  the  weak  one  shall  ride  Djala,  not  Sahyeepah  alone ; 
and  so  they  travel ;  Ayum  rides,  and  Ambon  rides  on  Djala ;  a 
good  little  horse,  not  afraid  of  steep  hills,  stony  paths,  and  dark 
waters  rushing  across  them;  he  is  only  afraid  of  djins  in  the 
clouds  of  dust  on  the  road ;  he  takes  them  safe  to  Samedang ; 
and  safe,  all  the  way  to  Cheribon. 

Old  Mas  Prawiro  has  heart's  joy  to  see  the  daughter  of  his 
foster  brother,  but  where  is  Wirojoyo  ?  where  is  Diporo  Kasumo  ? 
where  is  Sareena  ?  And  what  is  Sahyeepah  doing  in  Cheribon, 
without  father,  without  friends  ?  He  must  not  ask  all ;  he  must 
help  his  niece  to  travel  a  long  journey;  he  must  not  ask  why;  he 
must  not  ask  where.  Mas  Prawiro  wondered  greatly,  his  wife, 
his  children  wondered;  but  Sahyeepah  held  close  mouth;  and 
Prawiro  was  good,  all  the  same.  He  was  not  rich,  he  could  not 
help  much ;  he  could  not  buy  a  new  cart ;  but  there  is  a  saddle 
put  on  Djala,  fit  for  nonna  to  ride ;  the  sack  of  Sahyeepah  has 
M 


458  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

fifty  more  rupees  in  it ;  Ayum  has  many  nice  things  in  a  new 
wallet ;  and  they  go  with  strong  hearts  again,  on  the  way  to 
Surakarta. 

The  road  is  now  by  the  sea,  the  great  sea  of  Java.  Sahyeepah 
saw  its  waters,  she  knew  its  voice ;  she  had  slept,  she  had  dreamed 
by  the  sound ;  Pulo  Percha  was  beyond,  on  the  other  side ;  she 
heard  the  rambahya  songs  of  the  Moosie ;  she  heard  the  sound 
of  the  waters  of  the  Ogan ;  Panyorang  Djaya  Laksaua  was  lis 
tening  too,  and  thinking  of  his  little  daughter ;  thinking  that  she 
must  never  be  little  in  heart ;  she  must  ride  on  the  white  elephant 
to  Menangkabau.  Now  she  must  ride  with  a  strong  heart  on  the 
back  of  Djala;  many  days,  foot  sick  and  body  sick,  on  she  rides 
and  walks,  amid  sunshine,  amid  darkness,  in  daylight  and  twi 
light  ;  through  stones  and  through  waters  in  the  path ;  on  the 
way  through  Tegal,  Pekalongan,  stopping  at  Batang  and  Kandal, 
and  for  a  time  at  the  great  city  of  Samarang. 

Ayum  was  sick;  she  was  old;  she  could  chew  sirih  in  the 
shade, — no  more.  Three  days,  Ayum  has  the  cold  in  her  bones ; 
she  takes  much  medicine,  from  a  cunning  dukun,  a  doctress  of 
Java,  who  knows  all  the  herbs  of  life  and  death ;  she  gives  Ayum 
of  the  herb  of  life;  she  makes  her  strong  again.  Allah,  she 
makes  Sahyeepah  pay  twenty  rupees  for  taking  the  cold  out  of 
Ayum. 

Tho  practice  of  medicine;  as  well  the  chief  part  of  the 
small  trading,  peddling,  and  money  changing,  is  mainly  confined 
to  women  in  Java.  They  are  famed,  even  among  Europeans, 
to  possess  a  skill  for  the  preparation  of  the  most  subtle  distillations 
and  concoctions  of  herbs,  ever  known  to  the  world.  They  have  poi 
sons  more  prompt  than  those  so  well  known  in  Rome,  that  gave 
death  in  a  pinch  of  snuff;  they  have  others  that  only  act  six  months 


SUBTLE    POISONS    OF   JAVA.  459 

after  being  taken ;  some  that  produce  madness,  some  that  produce 
strange  effects,  yet  leaving  the  mind  and  body  apparently  well; 
such  are  the  common  beliefs  among  Europeans  as  well  as  natives 
at  Batavia,  of  the  skill  of  the  women  doctors  of  Java ;  who  it 
seems,  from  the  story  of  Sahyeepah,  understand  making  large 
bills,  as  well  as  the  profession  elsewhere. 

Djala  is  walking  on  the  road,  feet  fast  stepping ;  Ayum  on 
his  back ;  he  pulls  at  the  herb,  he  bites  at  Ambon ;  Djala  is  merry 
on  Gunung  Ungarang,  the  Mountain  of  Horses  and  Chariots. 
Proud  necks  are  curving,  hoofs  pawing  the  air,  manes  flying  in 
the  wind;  and  chariots  rolling;  chariots  of  Chandra  Kirana; 
the  same  in  the  days  of  Panji ;  the  same  on  the  day  Sahyeepah  is 
walking  foot  sore,  on  the  road  to  the  battle  grounds  of  Dipo  Ne- 
goro ;  where  he  fought  with  the  Wolanda  at  Salatiga. 

Sculptures  in  stone  of  beautiful  horses  and  chariots;  like 
Olympic  triumphal  cars,  are  to  be  seen  in  this  neighborhood. 
Chandra  Kirana  was  the  wife  of  Panji ;  and  a  chief  heroine  of 
the  wayang  in  Java, 

Djala  is  stopped  at  Salatiga ;  and  officers  of  the  Company 
want  to  see  the  pass  of  Sahyeepah;  they  want  to  know  why  she 
goes  to  Surakarta ; — to  see  a  cousin  who  lived  in  Cheribon ;  the 
officers  won't  believe,  they  talk  loud,  they  talk  to  Ayum ;  she 
trembles,  her  heart  is  little,  a  foolish  old  woman,  and  tells  about 
Batavia,  and  a  Tuan  in  the  house  of  care.  The  officers  say  hor 
rid  words  of  Satan ;  Sahyeepah  must  go  before  the  Jaksa. 

Ayum  speaks  one  way,  Ambon  speaks  another;  the  Jaksa 
says  Sahyeepah  has  a  crooked  tongue ;  she  is  shut  up  in  a  kan- 
dang,  in  a  close  room,  like  Tuan  her  brother,  at  Batavia.  Two 


460  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

women  come ;  they  search  all  her  dress ;  every  little  cloth ;  the 
sarong,  the  choolee,  the  scarf  and  koleeling ;  all  but  the  pins  in 
the  hair ;  there  is  nothing  that  the  officer  wants,  who  stands  out 
side  the  door.  Sahyeepah  goes  free  the  next  morning ;  but  must 
pay  the  Jaksa  for  the  trouble  of  the  law,  ten  rupees ;  and  she 
turns  away  from  Salatiga,  with  a  lighter  purse  and  a  heavier 
heart. 

Sahyeepah  stops  at  Karang  Salan  •  she  stops  at  Boyolalee ; 
she  is  on  sacred  ground ;  lands  of  old  Matarem,  where  Browijoyo 
ruled,  and  sent  his  Flowers  of  Victory,  his  mighty  hosts  to  con 
quer  lands  on  the  Moosie,  where  Aria  Darnar  reigned.  Gunung 
Mcrapi ;  the  mighty  mountain  of  Red  Fire ;  smoking  top,  be 
tween  the  clouds  and  the  Eye  of  Day, — Gunung  Merapi  will  light 
the  way  to  the  imperial  city  near  by ;  but  there  is  more  woe,  more 
loss  for  Sahyeepah,  before  she  rests  foot  in  Surakarta. 

Allah  is  rolling  the  sun  about  above  the  clouds;  there  is 
thunder  on  the  top  of  Merapi ;  and  the  sounds  of  rushing  wings ; 
and  the  hissings  of  lied  Fire  in  the  cloud  tanks,  eat  up  the  voice 
of  the  king  bird ;  and  of  Ambon  speaking  to  Djala.  The  eye 
of  day  is  shut ;  the  face  of  Heaven  is  dark,  and  weeping ;  adoh  ! 
such  torrents ;  the  swelling  Sunggee  in  the  path.  Tongues  of  Red 
Fire,  show  the  rolling  waters  upon  the  bridge  of  the  Sunggee. 

Djala  must  bear  Sahyeepah,  Ayum  and  Ambon  over ;  feet  aro 
too  little  for  the  deep  water  on  the  bridge.  Two  on  the  back  of 
Djala, — Ayum  and  Ambon.  He  has  crossed,  he  has  come  back ; 
Djala  is  strong ;  but  Ambon  shakes  with  a  little  heart  to  cross 
again.  Sahyeepah  will  hold  the  rein.  Merapi  bellows,  tongues  of 
Red  Fire  darting,  and  Sunggee  swelling.  Djala  has  stiff  ears,  eyes 
glaring ;  the  rolling  waters  touch  the  feet  of  Sahyeepah.  Djala 
beats  against  the  water ;  the  bridge  groans ;  adah !  it  is  going 


ARRIVAL    AT    THE    IMPERIAL    CITY.  461 

down  the  Sunggee.  Djala  plunges;  the  brave  little  horse  and 
Sahyeepah  are  safe,  but  Ambon  has  gone  down  the  Sunggee. 

Poor  Ambon  is  seen  no  more ;  and  the  wallet  of  Ayum  with 
many  rupees  is  gone.  What  sick,  what  poor,  what  desolate 
women  to  enter  the  city  of  the  Susuhunan.  They  find  rest  for 
the  night  in  a  dessa.  On  the  road  early,  the  next  morning,  they 
see  the  waters  of  Solo ;  but  Sahyeepah  is  heart  sick,  head  sick ;  the 
cold  is  in  her  bones ;  and  she  has  faint  eyes  to  behold  the  tops  of 
the  walls  of  the  Kraton ; — pain  of  body  kills  her  joy,  on  entering 
the  city  of  Surakarta. 

She  will  be  brave,  yet  a  little  longer ;  the  message  in  the  hair 
knot  has  to  be  given ;  she  searches,  she  asks ;  but  the  friend  of  Tuan 
her  brother,  is  not  in  Surakarta ;  he  has  gone  many  days'  journey 
in  the  lands  of  Preanger.  No  one  can  say,  where  he  shall  be 
found ;  Sahyeepah  must  wait ;  the  pain  of  the  body  is  now  strong ; 
head  sick,  heart  sick,  cold  in  the  bones;  the  eyes  see  no  more;  and 
Sahyeepah  lies  many  days,  forgetting  all  things,  in  the  house  of  a 
good  woman  of  Surakarta. 

Allah  is  good ;  the  eyes  of  Sahyeepah  open ;  she  thinks  of 
father  and  brothers ;  the  cold  is  gone ;  her  feet  are  strong ;  she 
is  walking  in  the  Kraton,  and  it  is  pasar  senen,  the  gala  day. 
She  hears  the  gongs,  and  drums,  and  long  trumpets ;  she  sees  the 
Flowers  of  Victory,  the  spearmen  and  the  guards ;  the  noble  Ra- 
dens,  the  golden  sirih  box,  the  mat  of  state,  the  great  payung ; 
and  beneath  it  the  son  of  wonder  and  brightness,  Pakoo  Boowono 
Senopati,  Susuhunan  of  Surakarta. 

This  ruler  over  the  relics  of  the  ancient  empire  of  Matarem, 
possesses  but  a  nominal  political  power  in  Java ;  although  still  rever 
enced,  or  almost  worshipped  by  the  patriotic  Javanese,  so  fondly 
clinging  to  all  that  belongs  to  the  ancient  state  of  their  sovereigns, 


462  PRISON   OF    WKI/f  liVUEDEN. 

who  once  wielded  an  imperial  sway  in  the  Archipelago.  The 
present  emperor  is  the  seventh  of  a  dynasty,  that  has  sold  the 
best  part  of  its  power  to  the  Dutch  ;  yet  the  people  of  Java, 
think  that  the  Europeans  are  mere  farmers  of  the  revenue  for  the 
advantage  of  the  Susuhunan  ;  as  they  understand  the  management 
of  trade  and  rupees,  better  than  he  or  his  Radens.  When  the  Susu 
hunan  does  not  want  the  Dutchmen,  said  Wirojoyo  to  me,  the 
people  of  Java,  will  drive  them  out  of  the  island  with  bananas  in 
their  hands.  And  so  they  could,  if  they  were  roused  to  try  ;  — 
eleven  millions  against  two  or  three  thousand  Europeans;  they 
might  indeed  smother  them  with  fruit.  The  Dutch  force  is  all  on 
the  coast;  it  does  not  come  much  in  contact  with  the  great 
mass  of  the  natives  in  the  interior  :  —  half-breeds,  and  a  few  pen 
sioned  small  chieftains,  are  the  intermediaries  of  communication  ; 
and  prevent  the  collisions  that  might  take  place  between  the  rough, 
matter  of  fact  of  the  European,  and  the  sensitive  etiquette  of  the 
Orientals;  which  rightly  managed  leads  to  a  ready  access  to  the 
native  mind.  In  the  East,  everywhere,  etiquette  is  power  The 
emperor,  who  is  absolute  over  about  one  million  and  a  half  of  sub 
jects,  receives  a  large  revenue  from  the  Dutch  Government,  for 
allowing  them  the  monopoly  of  all  the  coffee  and  sugar  that  can 
be  produced  in  his  lands.  The  neighboring  independent  State, 
the  Sultanate  of  Yugya  K-arta,  holds  the  same  stipendiary  rela 
tions  with  the  Dutch  ;  the  princes  selling  the  labor  of  their  people, 
and  their  own  political  power,  that  they  may  enjoy,  undisturbed 
with  the  cares  of  State,  their  oriental  pomp  and  luxury  ;  which  is 
said  to  be  most  tastefully  displayed  at  the  imperial  city  of 
Surakarta. 


Sahyeepah   looks  at   the  barungan,  the   great  show  of  her 
;  and  she   sees  the  combat  of   the  tiger  and  the  buffalo. 


COMBAT    OF    TIGER    AND    BUFFALO.  463 

The  gamelan  salindro,  the  kumpul,  and  the  chelempung,  musical 
instruments,  call  the  people,  men,  women  and  little  children,  to 
sec  the  chief  show  of  Java.  The  buffalo  that  will  let  none 
but  Javanese  ride  on  his  back,  is  the  champion  of  the  people; 
and  the  tiger,  that  will  not  kill  the  Europeans,  is  champion  for 
them.  The  tiger  is  made  hungry  and  weak ;  the  buffalo  bows  his 
strong  neck ;  the  sharp  claws  are  in  the  neck ;  Allah !  that  squall, 
that  bellow ;  again  the  neck  is  bowed ;  weh !  the  horns  are  in  the 
yellow  skin,  they  drip  with  blood ;  Sahyeepah  is  sick ;  the  people 
shout ;  the  tiger  is  dead. 

Malays  and  Javanese  are  inveterate  show  goers ;  the  highest 
and  the  lowest;  lone  women  boldly  crowding  their  way;  and 
taking  places  with  the  foremost.  Besides  combats  with  tigers, 
there  are  the  topeng,  or  masked  shows ;  the  wayang,  wherein  are 
illustrated  the  wars  and  loves  of  the  great  heroes  and  heroines 
of  Javanese  history  and  fable ;  of  Panji,  Chandra  Kirana,  Raja- 
inala,  Dewa  Kesuma,  and  Arjuna. 

Sahyeepah  walks  in  the  Kraton ;  she  looks  at  shows ;  but  she 
is  not  happy.  He  who  must  receive  the  message  does  not  return  ; 
and  the  rupees  are  all  gone.  What  must  Sahyeepah  do  ?  she  can 
not  eat  the  rice  of  the  good  woman  for  nothing ; — she  can  make 
wax  printed  cloths,  and  embroidery  for  the  daughters  of  Radens ; 
she  makes  the  fine  boddice,  the  scarf,  the  lace  of  the  long  bajoo ; 
and  the  flowered  sarong  for  the  bride,  and  the  lady  of  the  court. 

The  Javanese  or  Malay  woman,  young  or  old,  thus  readily  en 
ters  into  business,  and  will  support  herself  with  a  resolution,  that 
may  be  equalled,  but  cannot  be  surpassed  by  the  most  self-reliant 
of  the  sex  in  any  other  part  of  the  world.  As  I  have  said,  they 


464  ruisoN  OF  WELTEVREDEN. 

do  all  the  small  traffic  of  Java,  except  what  is  carried  on  by 
Chinamen.  Wirojoyo  said  a  Javan  man,  is  a  fool  with  money, 
he  cannot  take  care  of  it ;  he  gives  it  to  his  wife.  The  women 
are  the  chief  bankers  of  Java. 

The  friend  of  Tuan  her  brother,  comes  to  Surakarta ;  what 
wonder,  when  the  coat  of  lacquer  is  torn  from  the  head  of  the 
pin ;  what  joy  when  the  words  are  read.  Other  words  arc  writ 
ten,  as  Tuan,  my  brother,  has  received.  His  friend  says;  the 
way  is  bad  to  ride  on  Djala  back  to  Samarang  to  Batavia, — must 
go  in  oar  prahu  down  the  Solo,  to  Gresik,  on  the  sea ;  to  Soora- 
bayah ;  and  in  prahu  with  masts  to  Batavia.  Djala  is  sold, — 
good,  brave,  strong,  little  Djala ;  she  wept  when  he  went  away, — 
Sahyeepah  will  never  ride  on  the  back  of  brave  little  Djala  again ; 
but  she  is  on  the  prahu,  laden  with  rice ;  and  Ayum  is  with  her ; 
and  some  women,  who  have  merchandise  for  Soorabayah. 

Tuan,  her  brother,  has  seen  the  Moosie,  the  Ogan,  the  Soon- 
sang,  and  the  Opang;  let  him  look  on  them  again,  and  he  will 
see  the  Solo ;  but  more  houses,  more  people,  more  rice  fields. 
Java  is  full  of  people,  working  hard  for  the  Company;  who  keep 
a  fort  with  cannon  at  Gresik,  near  the  mouth  of  Solo ;  not  far  is 
Soorabayah,  a  great  Dutch  city,  full  of  houses  of  merchandise, — 
many  ships  in  the  still  water,  and  Sahyeepah  saw  the  star  flag  of 
the  country  of  Tuan,  her  brother. 

There  is  a  fire  ship,  of  the  Company  going  to  Batavia.  Sah 
yeepah  has  not  many  of  the  rupees,  given  by  the  friend  of  Tuan 
at  Surakarta ;  she  must  give  all  for  herself  and  Ayum  in  the 
fire  ship.  The  sea  of  Java  again ;  Sahyeepah  loves  the  sea,  like 
her  grandfather,  like  Tuan  her  brother ;  she  has  heart  joy,  to  hear 
the  sound  of  the  waters ;  and  returning  to  father  and  brothers ; 
but  Ayum  is  sick,  very  sick ;  her  sight  is  gone,  the  cold  is  in  her 


SUFFERINGS    AND    SUCCESS.  465 

bones ;  there  is  no  dukun  near ;  the  chief  of  the  fire  ship  gives 
medicine  ;  the  sight  won't  come  back  again,  the  cold  will  not  go 
away,  Sahyeepah  rubs  the  poor  old  servant,  and  gives  warm  things ; 
but  the  soul  of  Ayum  goes  to  speak  with  Allah. 

Adoh  !  Sahyeepah  is  alone ;  she  weeps ;  the  men  of  the  fire 
ship  drink  strong  water,  and  look  at  her  with  burning  eyes ;  she 
shuts  the  door  of  her  little  room,  she  will  not  go  out  to  eat ; — for 
two  days  shut  up  with  fear,  and  hunger,  and  then  she  hears  the 
roll  of  the  anchor  chain ;  the  great  dayongs  have  stopped  beat 
ing  the  water ;  there  are  the  ships  of  the  Company,  and  of  all 
nations ;  there  is  Batavia ;  and  Sahyeepah  is  in  a  boat ;  she  walks 
with  weak  step ;  she  can  see  no  more ;  she  feels  only  the  arms  of 
her  father. 


20* 


FIFTY-THIRD  DAY. 

MY  faithful  messenger  had  but  slight  opinion  of  her  own 
heroic  exertions,  as  having  contributed  to  the  accomplishment  of 
her  mission.  She  had  regarded  her  successful  arrival  at  Sur* 
karta,  notwithstanding  all  her  struggles  and  losses,  as  owing  to 
the  influence  of  the  charmed  ointment  of  the  magician  of  Gedeh. 
This  faith  had  led  her  to  consult  another  man  of  charmed  drugs 
at  Surakarta ;  who  for  twenty  rupees  had  given  her  an  ointment 
to  assist  her  return  to  Batavia ;  and  also  one  to  effect  the  enlarge 
ment  of  her  brother  from  prison. 

I  had  received  the  magic  compound,  enclosed  in  a  nutshell, 
curiously  carved  and  fastened,  with  which  I  must  perform  many 
minute,  mystifying  little  ceremonials ;  and  then  the  eyes  of  my 
jailers  would  become  very  heavy,  and  I  should  find  no  obstacle  in 
going  out.  The  pomatum  emitted  an  odor,  of  many  scents  blended ; 
and  I  thought  I  could  distinguish  some  of  the  simples  of  the  com 
pound.  I  obtained  them,  and  after  many  experiments  produced 
an  ointment  of  the  color  and  aroma  of  the  reputed  charmed  one. 
I  thus  sought  to  make  a  practical  appeal  to  the  common  sense  of 
Sahyeepah,  to  convince  her  of  the  folly  of  supposing  that  this  pre 
paration  was  some  mystic  extract  from  the  centre  of  a  mountain ; 
but  I  found  that  I  was  running  a  risk  of  simply  proving  myself 


THE    PROVIDENCE    OF    GOD    IN   JAVA.  467 

to   be   a  magician,  equal   to   suwanggee;  and  in   this  belief,  I 
dare  say  that  Wirojoyo  remains  fixed  to  this  day. 

The  daughter  listened,  however,  with  more  earnestness  of 
thought,  and  with  some  exercise  of  reasoning  powers ;  she  was  led 
to  think  of  the  influence  of  faith ;  and  led  to  believe  that  Djala, 
and  her  sack  of  rupees,  were  the  most  effectual  talismans,  along 
with  the  resolution  of  her  own  heart,  which  enabled  her  to  accom 
plish  her  journey.  And  talking  of  charms,  and  their  reputed 
virtues,  we  were  naturally  led  on  to  contemplate  the  source  of 
the  power  that  was  ascribed  to  them. 

It  was  not  a  hackneyed  subject  for  Sahyeepah ;  it  would  not 
be  for  any  simple,  docile,  inquiring  heathen,  to  talk  about  the 
Author  and  Controller  of  life  and  death ;  it  had  never  been  a 
wearying  class  study  upon  her  brain  of  childhood ;  it  was  a  won 
derful,  and  interesting  thing  to  contemplate,  the  probabilities  of  a 
providence,  a  divine  power,  the  same  that  controlled  the  universe, 
as  watching  over  the  life,  and  directing  the  foosteps  of  a  weak, 
simple  girl  of  Java. 

The  idea  seemed  to  break  upon  the  mind  of  Sahyeepah,  with 
startling  force,  that  the  Ruler  of  Heaven  would  speak  to  her 
heart ;  and  be  her  friend ;  true,  she  had  some  ideas  at  first,  of 
gaining  thereby  the  powers  of  a  suwanggee ; — but  her  mind  soon 
cast  away  the  contemplation  of  such  a  character ; — a  petty  trader 
of  the  favor,  which  was  pretended  to  be  received  from  Allah. 
She  began  to  feel,  that  the  friend  of  the  Maker  of  Heaven  and 
earth,  would  feel  but  little  interest  in  gathering  rupees  from  poor 
people,  seeking  help  and  consolation. 

There  were  some  words  in  my  mouth,  about  needy  ones  being 
called  to  come  to  the  Source  of  abundance  without  money  and 
without  price ;  and  I  turned  to  the  place  in  a  large  Malay  Bible, 
which  I  had  lately  obtained ;  and  as  we  followed  down  the  page, 


468  PRISON    OF    WELTK\Ui:i>i:\. 

the  finger  of  my  fellow  inquirer  stopped  at  the  words,  "  Incline 
your  ear,  and  come  unto  me ;  hear,  and  your  soul  shall  live ;  and 
I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  you."  Who  was  speak 
ing  thus  ?  And  to  whom  ?  The  Maker  of  all  things,  even  unto 
Sahyeepah.  Was  it  so  indeed  ?  That  I  affirmed  with  all  positive- 
ness,  even  more  than  I  felt.  The  experience  with  Wongso  had 
not  developed  more  than  an  inquiring  curiosity.  I  was  to  be 
startled  again  by  the  uncivilized  mind,  from  uncheering  specula 
tions  upon  laws  of  necessity,  of  fitness  of  things',  of  progressions, 
developments,  and  harmonies.  I  was  overwhelmed  again  with 
questions,  that  I  was  helpless  fittingly  to  meet ;  but  I  must  find 
some  answer. 

How  was  it  that  Javanese  remained  weak  and  poor  so  long, 
living  and  dying,  the  slaves  of  bad  men  ?  Had  not  the  Maker  of 
all  things  made  the  Javanese  ?  We  were  turning  over  pages  of 
the  Bible ;  the  Malay  language  is  so  well  adapted  to  its  simple, 
poetic  style  in  some  parts ;  more  than  all  to  the  grand  poetry  of 
Job ;  and  the  Psalms  and  Isaiah  speak  in  familiar  figures  to  the 
Malay  and  Javanese  mind.  We  were  running  over  the  pages  of 
the  latter  prophet.  I  paused  at  words  that  struck  me,  that  I 
had  not  seen  before ;  messengers  were  spoken  of,  that  were  to  be 
sent  to  "  Javan  and  the  isles  afar  off,  that  have  not  heard  my 
fame,  neither  have  seen  my  glory;" — a  startling  answer  put  into 
my  mouth  ; — of  moving  power  upon  the  mind  of  Sahyeepah ; — the 
great  Book  of  the  Christians  promised  the  mighty  things  of  their 
religion  unto  her  brethren  and  sisters  in  these  isles  afar  off. 

I  was  led  to  believe,  from  some  after  reading,  that  the  Javan 
here  referred  to,  was  the  land  of  a  son  of  Japhet,  situated  in  Asia ; 
but  I  thought,  at  the  time  of  first  reading  about  it  with  Sahyeepah, 
that  it  referred  to  the  sacred  isle  of  the  Hindoos,  the  modern  Java 
of  the  Archipelago ;  and  my  earnest  prison  visitor  thought  so.  The 


THE    LOVE    OF    CHRIST    IN    JAVA.  469 

enthusiastic  young  mind,  that  had  dreamed  of  some  marvellous 
destiny  for  her  race,  the  restoration  of  Menangkabau  and  Mata- 
reni ;  of  some  part  that  she  might  take ; — the  riding  on  the  white 
elephant ; — thought  the  time  come,  when  the  Satans  of  the  Com 
pany  should  be  driven  out ;  and  Flowers  of  Victory  should  per 
fume  the  banks  of  the  Moosie  and  the  Solo  with  Glory. 

Earnest  enthusiast  of  a  child-like  race ;  fitting  instrument  for 
the  fanaticism  of  Brahma,  the  dark  rites  of  Bohwanee,  or  the 
deadly  imposture  of  Islam ; — how  it  turned  after  a  time  with  its 
enthusiasm,  and  woman's  instinctive  love  of  peace,  to  the  con 
templation  of  the  life,  character,  and  mission  of  the  Son  of  Mary. 
What  a  wonderful  story ;  so  much  power,  so  much  poverty ;  so 
much  love  for  hate,  so  much  pain  and  suffering, — paying  for  the 
lack  of  poor  aching  hearts ; — Sahyeepah  one  of  these ;  and  so  much 
glory,  to  share  even  with  her ;  the  glory  of  one  in  white  robes  en 
tering  triumphant  into  a  city,  gorgeous  with  gems,  and  resplendent 
with  the  light  of  the  beautiful  face  of  the  great  Brother.  Won 
derful  words  of  Revelations,  speaking  more  to  oriental  imagination 
than  to  western  intelligence,  how  they  moved  the  heart  and  tears 
of  this  earnest  soul  of  the  Archipelago. 

Where  was  the  insignificant  Malay  city,  with  its  bamboo  and 
palm  leaf,  and  paltry  barbaric  splendor  ?  where  was  the  pomp  of 
riding  upon  an  unwieldy  beast  after  reading  all  this  ?  What  was 
the  tawdry  mat  of  state,  the  sirih  box,  the  tinsel  payung,  the 
spearmen,  and  the  guards ;  and  all  the  pride  of  state  of  the  vi 
cious,  indolent  descendant  of  Browirjoyo,  when  reading  of  the 
throne  of  the  King  of  Kings,  and  the  Heavenly  Host  of  winged 
ones  ;  and  Sahyeepah  their  names,  even  like  the  one  on  earth,  who 
wished  to  be  one  of  their  number  ? 

Gloomy  walls  of  Weltevreden,  heart-aching  sounds  of  human 
woe  and  darkness ;  they  chilled  the  spirit  at  times ;  but  they  were 


470  I'HISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

good ;  they  had  given  seasons  of  reflection  to  thoughtlessness ; 
they  had  quickened  fellow  feeling  5  they  had  widened  the  narrow 
scope  of  selfish  aims ;  they  had  opened  the  way  to  new  worlds  of 
human  souls, — to  undiscovered  regions  of  thought  and  sympathy. 
Walls  of  Weltevreden;  Hotel  of  involuntary  lodgers;  College 
for  the  study  of  Humanity ;  unhonored  Bureau  of  Governmental 
talent;  and  now,  and  since  the  jubilant  words  of  the  dying 
murderer,  a  Temple  for  the  worship  of  the  Most  High. 

How  was  I  led  into  new  paths  by  an  inquiring  pupil  ?  My 
judges  and  jailers  were  forgotten,  in  following  them;  but  the 
pupil  outstripped  the  teacher, — not  having  the  same  encumbrance, 
of  pride  of  knowledge,  of  self-sufficiency,  of  the  speculation  of  a 
more  presumptuous  brain,  of  much  contact  with  evil,  and  doubting 
at  times  of  all  things  good  and  true ;  the  pupil,  the  fellow  inquirer 
rather,  had  none  of  these  weights  on  the  wings  of  enthusiasm,  none 
of  these  blinds  upon  the  eyes  of  simple,  childlike  faith,  that  read 
eagerly  of  the  Word  of  Life ;  and  said,  Sahycepah  would  wash  the 
bleeding  feet  of  her  Great  Brother,  who  was  killed  for  the  sake 
of  poor  weak  children  of  the  world,  of  Java,  and  Pulo  Percha ; 
Sahyeepah  would  be  a  Christian. 

How  much  of  that  wish  was  owing  to  some  sympathy  with 
what  was  supposed  to  be,  my  belief  and  feeling?  It  matters 
not ; — but  only  to  show  to  you  the  workings  of  this  guileless  soul  ; 
brightening  the  prison;  chasing  away  the  demons  of  idle  and 
hopeless  moments;  shaming  the  cold  and  skeptical  spirit  of 
civilization,  and  acting  a  part  of  earnest  heroism,  which  only 
such  prison  influences  could  have  developed;  and  perhaps 
might  be  met  in  few,  but  in  enthusiastic,  simple  children  of 
these  isles. 

And  how  the  influence  of  the  Redeeming  Word  had  wrought 
upon  the  character  and  temper  of  Sahyeepah ;  even  the  Dutch 


DUTCH   PATRIOTISM    AND    OPPRESSION.  471 

were  no  longer  children  of  Satan ;  but  even  of  the  same  Good 
Maker  who  had  made  all.  We  talked  of  them,  what  they  were 
in  the  past  and  the  present ;  I  had  a  copy  of  Tacitus, — the  single 
book  I  was  allowed  and  had  asked  for,  on  one  occasion  of  tighten 
ing  of  prison  discipline.  Many  a  page  of  the  Annals  were  trans 
lated  into  Malay ;  the  brave  stand  of  the  Batavi,  after  whom 
this  city  was  named ;  and  their  great  struggles  in  their  swamps, 
when  led  by  Arminius  against  the  mighty  power  of  Rome, 
mightier  than  that  of  Iskander,  of  whom  Sahyeepah  had  heard 
many  a  wonderful  story. 

We  left  the  story  of  the  Romans,  and  came  down  to  later 
times,  when  the  children  of  the  Batavi  fought  against  and  con 
quered  another  great  empire;  that  of  the  rajah,  who  sends  ships 
to  Manilla ;  and  fought  still  a  stronger  one,  the  rajah  of  France ; 
and  when  he  pressed  hard,  they  opened  banks  to  let  in  the  sea ; 
and  all  resolved  to  leave  their  homes,  to  come  and  live  in  Java ; 
and  why  ?  That  they  might  have  no  master  over  them,  and  might 
worship  God  as  they  pleased;  but  they  soon  forgot  their  own 
struggles ;  and  put  forth  all  their  skill  and  strength,  to  make 
slaves  of  Malay  and  Javanese ;  as  Roman,  Spaniard,  and  French 
man  wished  to  make  of  them. 

But  Sahyeepah  must  remember  that  the  Susuhunan  of  Sura- 
karta,  the  Sultan,  and  the  Radens  of  Java ;  the  Sultans  of  Su 
matra, — all  made  slaves  of  their  people ;  many  were  more  cruel 
masters  than  the  Dutch ;  though  the  people  love  their  own  tyrants 
best.  The  Susuhunans,  Sultans,  and  Radens  have  no  religion 
of  peace  and  good  will  in  their  hearts ;  they  have  no  Word  of 
Life  in  their  palaces;  the  men  of  Holland  have;  but  they  have 
hardened  their  hearts  against  its  teachings  ;  they  shut  out  benevo 
lence,  brotherhood,  and  mercy;  they  worship  a  gloomy  god, — 
no  other  but  that  one  god.  What !  not  the  God  of  the  Chris- 


472  PRISON    OP    WELTEV11EDEN. 

tians?  No.  They  worship  one  whose  name  we  looked  for  in 
the  Testament ;  and  we  read  of  stories  of  those  who  had  some 
thought  of  a  treasure  in  Heaven ;  and  others  who  had  no  thought 
but  of  treasures  on  earth;  and  these  worshippers,  and  all  Dutch 
men  were  of  the  number,  had  no  god  but  mammon. 

Every  effort  of  an  industrious,  skilful,  and  energetic  govern 
ment,  has  been  put  forth  during  more  than  two  hundred  years,  to 
obtain  by  persuasion,  force,  cunning  and  fraud,  whatever  they 
could  get  of  the  fruits  of  the  labor  of  a  simple,  industrious 
people,  without  making  a  single  sacrifice  for  the  moral  welfare,  or 
the  intellectual  advancement  of  these ;  nay,  doing  all  in  their 
power  to  prevent  any  such  advantage  being  imparted  by  others. 
The  people  of  Java  seem  of  no  more  consequence  in  the  estimation 
of  the  Government  of  Holland,  than  the  soil  of  Java,  and  if  the 
orang  utan,  and  the  baboons  in  the  forest,  could  be  trained  to 
produce  coffee  and  sugar,  to  greater  profit  than  the  human  beings 
of  these  islands,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  latter  would  be 
driven  as  ruthlessly  into  the  sea,  as  once  was  done  to  many  of  the 
useless  inhabitants  of  the  Moluccas. 

And  if  Susuhunan  is  bad ;  and  Sultan,  Rajah,  and  Raden,  all 
bad  as  Company ;  what  hope  is  there  for  poor  people  of  Java ; 
of  Pulo  Percha ;  and  all  the  brethren  and  sisters  of  Sahyeepah  ? 
The  eyes  of  the  inquirer  looked  eager  and  sad.  What  hope  for 
our  brethren  and  sisters  of  these  islands.  What  hope  had  Sah 
yeepah  of  the  cold  days  of  age,  and  sickness  yet  to  come  ?  were 
they  of  the  pomp  of  fine  robes,  and  music  and  applause  ?  what 
was  her  joy  in  going  the  rugged  way  to  Surakarta  ?  the  joy  of 
pleasing  some  one,  the  joy  of  doing  a  good  deed ;  and  what  was 
the  hope,  on  the  road  she  had  been  travelling  in  the  Great  Book  ; 
was  there  any  honor,  power,  or  glory  in  this  world  to  be  found  in 
that  ?  What  has  she  found  ? 


THE  HOPE  OF  THE  ARCHIPELAGO.  473 

Sahyeepah  spoke  as  a  very  little  child  ;  she  forgot  the  wonder 
ful  words  of  the  Great  Book ;  she  would  hold  them  better  in  her 
heart.  She  had  seen  the  prospect  of  better  hopes,  than  in  wealth 
and  power ;  hopes  of  peace ;  hopes  of  constant  songs,  when  the  soul 
had  wings ;  and  they  who  would  see  all  that,  must  not  wish  for 
the  best  that  the  world  can  give.  The  Great  Brother,  the  Son 
of  Mary,  was  very  poor.  Ayah !  children  of  Susuhunans,  who 
must  be  rocked  in  gold ; — He  lay  in  the  trough  of  a  beast's  poor 
shelter.  What  poor  people  who  believed!  What  great  people 
who  did  not  believe  !  The  rajahs  and  panghulus  of  Juda  mocked 
Him,  whom  fishermen  and  poor  women  followed,  and  Sahyeepah 
will  follow ;  and  her  brethren  and  sisters  must  follow  ;  and  let  the 
Wolanda,  let  the  Dutchmen ;  kasih-an,  pity  on  them ;  let  them 
have  all  the  power  of  Java  and  Pulo  Percha,  and  hearts  with 
out  love  and  without  hope,  if  they  will  not  follow.  Such  were 
the  words  of  Sahyeepah. 

Great  change  had  come  over  the  heart  of  the  enthusiast ;  a 
change  that  startled  my  own ;  and  carried  me  onward  in  paths  I 
had  never  trodden  before ;  but  the  dreams  on  the  Moosie  could 
not  be  all  cast  aside ;  some  of  the  world's  pomp  and  power  must 
mingle  with  calmer  hopes  of  the  future.  Sahyeepah  with  curious 
finger  had  paused  on  every  island  in  the  Indian  and  Pacific  oceans, 
and  questioned  me  about  their  people  and  their  history;  and 
above  all,  about  the  great  island  of  the  kangaroo,  filled  with  the 
sons  of  England,  who  had  often  beaten  the  Dutchmen ;  one  of 
whom  was  the  great,  good  man  Raffles,  whom  many  children  of  Java 
and  Pulo  Percha.  hoped  to  see  again ; — would  not  the  children  of 
England  in  the  island  of  the  kangaroo,  which  was  great,  and  they 
were  many ; — would  not  they  come  and  be  masters  in  Java ;  and 
one  like  Tuan  Besar  Raffles,  rule  over  them  ? 

It  seems  indeed  likely,  even  as  occurred  to  this  simple  mind, 


474 


ruisoN  OF  \VELTEVUKIH-:N. 


that  the  great  Anglo-Saxon  race  of  Australia, — founders  of  an 
Oceanican  empire,  will  be  the  future  arbiters  of  the  destinies  of 
these  beautiful  islands;  and  when  it  shall  be  BO,  perhaps  it  may 
not  be  happier  for  Malay  and  Javanese  than  now ;  yet  better,  in 
a  thousand  chances  for  their  moral  and  Christian  development, 
better  in  the  hands  of  Anglo-Saxons,  who  love  a  little  fair  play, 
who  have  some  regard  for  their  fellow-beings  as  well  as  trade ; 
and  could  such  minds  as  Raffles  preside,  and  a  Xavier  and  Judson 
teach,  then  might  the  abundance  of  these  isles  be  converted  unto 
grateful  tributes  to  the  Redeemer  of  the  world. 


FIFTY-FOURTH  DAY 

THE  fifteenth  month  of  my  imprisonment  was  passing  away ; 
two  months  since  the  public  trial ;  six  weeks,  since  it  had  been 
declared  in  open  court  that  I  was  not  guilty  of  the  crime  for 
which  I  had  been  held  in  jail ;  and  yet  I  had  been  waiting  all 
this  time,  to  learn  the  decision  of  the  great  secret  tribunal,  or 
rather  the  will  of  the  Government.  It  seemed  impossible,  that 
after  four  deliberate  decisions  for  my  enlargement,  by  the  court 
that  had  gone  througli  the  labor  of  searching  out  all  the  particu 
lars  of  my  history,  cruise,  associations,  habits,  thoughts,  and  con 
versations  ;  impossible  to  suppose,  that  the  Government  could  still 
try  to  sift  out  some  plea,  on  this  fourth  occasion ;  and  condemn 
me,  even  in  spite  of  Netherland  law  and  justice. 

There  was  nothing  else  but  a  sense  of  justice  to  deter  them 
from  doing  so ;  they  felt  that  they  had  nothing  to  fear  of  retribu 
tion  or  reclamation.  An  American  agent  had  said,  it  was  better 
to  hang  troublesome  men  from  America,  of  whom  there  were  too 
many,  than  to  run  the  risk  of  getting  into  trouble  by  dallying 
with  any  tedious  formalities  of  justice.  An  American  Com 
mander  had  talked  largely,  got  his  eyes  well  dusted  with  Dutch 
suavity,  and  had  done  nothing.  An  American  Commodore  had 
passed  out  of  the  way  of  Batavia,  saying  that  he  had  a  treaty  on 
hand  that  was  to  secure  some  Japanese  trade ;  and  he  had  no 
time  to  waste  upon  American  citizens  in  jail  in  Java;  and  fif- 


476  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 

teen  months  had  passed  away,  without  receiving  any  notice  from 
an  American  Secretary  of  State ;  so  that  there  was  nothing  to 
fear  from  an  American  official  interference ;  and  though  Dutch 
guards  were  knocked  down,  and  their  palace  gates  invaded  by 
American  Bassetts,  and  Smiths,  and  terrible  American  Boat 
swains  ;  yet  there  was  nothing  to  fear  from  the  rulers  at  Wash 
ington,  or  their  servants  abroad ;  and  they  might  do  what  they 
pleased  with  the  American  prisoners  in  Weltevreden. 

At  one  time,  there  were  some  rumors  that  the  American 
Japan  squadron,  was  about  to  visit  Batavia;  I  received  visits 
and  congratulations ;  it  was  coming  no  doubt  to  look  after  the 
Flirt  and  her  people.  There  were  rumors  that  I  would  be  at 
liberty  in  a  few  days ;  one  of  my  counsellors  had  learned  from 
official  sources  that  the  High  Court  had  come  to  a  decision, 
after  an  incessant  discussion  of  one  month, — overhauling  the  moun 
tain  of  documents ;  five  judges  being  against,  and  four  in  favor,  for 
some  time ;  at  last  one  had  yielded  in  spite  of  the  Government ;  the 
decision  was  in  my  favor,  I  would  be  afloat  soon  in  my  own  Flirt, 
if  her  timbers  still  held  together;  I  must  say  nothing  about  this 
matter  to  any  body ;  as  my  counsellor  would  be  suspected  of  dis 
closing  judicial  secrets.  Of  course,  I  would  not  tell ;  and  yet  I 
could  not  keep  the  secret  out  of  my  face ;  there  were  <juick  eyes 
to  read  it.  Old  Wirojoyo  came  to  embrace  me ;  every  body  said, 
the  American  Tuan  was  coming  out  of  the  house  of  care ;  and 
there  would  be  jubilee  in  the  campongs. 

My  Javanese  friends  came  to  offer  me  selamat, — the  saluta 
tions  of  their  simple  customs,  by  which  they  notice  every  little 
event  of  joy.  Wirojoyo,  his  son,  and  Sahyeepah,  came;  the  other 
daughter  having  returned  with  her  husband  to  Cheribon.  Sah 
yeepah  had  come  to  surprise  me ;  when  she  entered  my  room,  she 
threw  off  the  outer  coarse  dress,  she  usually  wore ;  and  disclosed 


BAHYEEPAH.  477 

the  rich,  graceful  costume,  I  had  seen  in  Sumatra ;  the  same  fine, 
lace-bordered  Japanese  kabyah;  the  richly  embroidered  boddice; 
the  curiously  colored  sarong,  the  golden  girdle,  the  filigree  clasp, 
the  pearls,  the  studded  slippers,  the  brilliants  like  buttons  in  the 
ear;  and  the  same  womanly  tastes  were  all  there;  but  how 
changed  the  face;  the  wild  mischievous  rock  deer  no  longer 
laughed,  but  smiled  so  earnestly ;  the  round  merry  face  was 
lengthened  with  the  lines  of  womanhood ;  not  much  of  that  daz 
zling  prettiness,  like  many  of  her  sisters  of  Java  and  Sumatra, 
of  noble  race ;  but  European  intelligence,  and  more  than  Euro 
pean  enthusiasm  beamed  from  her  face ; — she  asked,  would  her 
grandfather  think  she  had  grown  uglier  ?  he  never  thought  her 
beautiful  like  the  Palm  Tree,  the  Wave,  and  the  Sweet  Lip.  I 
spoke  of  the  comeliness  of  the  heart ;  he  must  look  into  her  new 
born  thoughts  and  feelings ;  and  look  as  her  brother  looked ;  then 
he  would  see  more  beauty  than  possessed  by  the  most  dazzling 
daughters  of  Passumah. 

Sahyeepah  quickly  replaced  the  coarse  dress;  saying,  Sah- 
yeepah  is  but  a  child  still,  when  will  she  be  a  woman ;  when 
will  the  fine  batek  cloth,  the  flowered  sarongs  and  the  golden  tali 
pendeng  cease  to  please  more  than  the  white  spot' ess  robes  that 
she  must  wear,  to  go  and  offer  sclamat  to  her  Great  Brother  ? 
She  looked  sad ;  did  she  feel  reproached  for  having  come  in  her 
bright  garments,  to  remind  her  brother  of  his  days  of  freedom, 
soon  to  come  again  ?  when  he  should  sail  on  the  waters  of  Java, 
when  he  should  sail  up  the  Moosie ;  to  remind  him  of  scones  that 
might  woo  him  from  sailing  away  to  his  own  great  land  beneath 
the  winds  where  the  sun  reposed.  But  Sahyeepah  must  not  think 
thus ;  I  would  not  sail  away ;  I  would  eat  rice  again,  by  the  will 
of  the  Almighty  and  the  Loving  One,  with  Panyorang  Daman 
Djaya  Laksana;  we  would  tell  him  the  stories  wo  had  talked 


478  PRISON  OF  WELTEVREDEN. 

over ;  and  to  many  people  on  the  Moosie ;  and  in  the  lands  of 
the  Passuinah.  We  would  tell  the  story  of  the  journey  to  Sura- 
karta,  to  the  Kraton  of  the  Susuhunan ;  and  that  other  journey 
of  the  soul,  with  hope  and  fear;  in  strength  and  weeping; 
through  paths  of  meekness  and  humiliation ;  through  a  garden  of 
agony,  to  a  dire  hill  of  execution ;  and  beyond  that  to  the  ever 
lasting  city  of  gems,  to  the  throne  of  the  Great  Brother.  Sah- 
yeepah  would  remember  the  robes  to  be  worn,  and  would  strive 
for  no  other. 

The  salutation  of  departure  was  given;  the  clasped  hands; 
and  the  tchoom  on  the  cheek ;  and  I  parted  from  my  Javanese 
friends  and  they  with  me,  with  overflowing  joy  at  the  prospect  of 
my  speedy  release 

I  packed  up  once  more,  my  small  wardrobe,  my  books,  and 
papers,  and  all  the  little  things  that  were  to  remind  me  of  the 
strange  days  of  my  life  within  these  walls ;  of  my  reveries  and 
inventions;  of  my  troubles  and  joys;  of  my  studyings,  teachings, 
and  worryings  at  the  hands  of  justice.  I  had  seen  new  walls  be 
gin  to  rise,  and  a  new  hall  of  Instruction  added  to  Weltevreden ; 
but  I  should  be  wearied  no  more  with  questioning  in  that  Hall ; 
and  those  walls,  the  first  creations  of  my  machine,  were  not  to 
add  to  the  closer  durance  of  the  inventor.  I  thought  all  this, 
as  I  watched  the  finishing  of  the  archway  of  the  main  entrance ; 
awhile  after  my  Javanese  friends  had  left  me :  Tutup  showed  me 
in  the  afternoon  the  increased  height  and  strength  of  the  walls ; 
the  increase  of  the  guard ;  and  all  the  circumstances  that  now 
rendered  hopeless  any  escape ;  as  had  lately  been  attempted  by 
a  wretch*  d  soldier  about  to  be  shot. 

I  saw  the  liveried  oppas  of  the  Attorney  General  enter  the 
house  of  the  jailer;  no  doubt  with  the  ratification  of  my  release, — 
the  assurance  to  the  jailer,  that  he  might  let  me  go  free,  as  soon 


SENTINEL  AT  THE  CELL  DOOR.  479 

as  he  had  received  the  order  for  my  discharge,  from  the  Grefficr 
of  the  High  Court.  I  finished  my  packing.  I  amused  myself 
with  some  last  charcoal  scrawls, — some  valedictory  words,  upon 
the  walls  of  my  cell ;  and  then  when  weary,  I  went  to  look  out 
on  a  magnificent  sky  of  Java ; — the  clear  deep  blue,  the  thick 
studded  glitter,  and  the  soft  shine  of  the  great  white  face  of  th* 
heavens,  wrapping  dull  walls,  and  barred  doors  and  gratings  in  s 
mantle  of  sphery  beauty.  I  never  saw  such  a  lovely  night ; — bu< 
never  one  so  quickly  changed  to  darkness ;  not  the  darkness  of 
storm  clouds,  but  there  was  a  shape  of  dread,  that  turned  hope 
almost  to  despair.  I  saw  in  the  shade  of  the  ketapan  tree,  right 
before  my  door,  a  form  moving,  and  something  glistening  in 
the  moonbeams ; — a  sentinel  on  especial  guard  before  my  door. 

What  was  the  meaning  of  this  ?  some  order  from  the  Attor 
ney  General ;  he  had  demanded  that  I  should  be  put  to  death ; 
the  High  Court  had  so  decided ;  the  decision  would  be  declared 
in  a  few  days ;  the  Attorney  General  apprehended  some  designs 
of  my  friends  to  effect  my  escape,  and  had  ordered  an  extra 
guard : — when  the  decree  of  condemnation  should  arrive,  I  would 
then  be  placed  in  a  condemned  cell.  All  this  I  partly  learned 
from  the  turnkey,  who  came  to  speak  to  me  at  my  door,  and  was 
confirmed  the  next  day,  by  my  counsellor  from  the  city. 

For  the  first  time  I  felt  the  grip  of  ruthless  power.  I  had 
not  felt  much  of  the  fury  and  denunciation  that  accompanied  my 
first  imprisonment ;  and  I  had  felt  that  my  after  sufferings  from 
close  confinement,  bad  food,  and  other  hurtful  circumstances  of  life 
in  prison,  were  merely  a  test  of  my  mental  and  physical  constitu 
tion;  which  I  would  have  to  bear  awhile;  but  sooner  or  later 
must  be  let  out,  or  taken  out.  I  had  kept  mind  and  body  too  busy 
to  realize  very  forcibly  my  prison  condition ;  but  now,  there  was 
a  change,  a  determination  to  end  all  this  blundering,  and  tedious 


480  PRISON    OP    WELTEVREPEN. 

workings  of  law.  I  must  never  be  allowed  to  go  free  among  the 
people  of  the  Archipelago ; — it  would  be  too  much  risk  to  hold 
me  imprisoned.  I  must  be  put  to  death; — no  government  will 
interfere  to  stay  their  hands;  American  officials  in  the  East  In 
dies  are  too  much  occupied  with  other  matters.  Hang  him, 
said  the  American  agent;  it  is  your  safest  course;  and  the 
Government  has  resolved  to  follow  his  advice. 

I  thought  of  the  many  cruel  and  bloody  scenes,  I  had  wit 
nessed  within  these  walls — the  hangings,  the  bastinado,  the  chain- 
ings  of  a  man's  wrist  down  to  his  ankle  for  many  days,  till  he 
roared  with  the  agony  of  an  excruciating  back ;  the  torture  that 
preceded  execution;  and  then  the  pitiless  jailer,  the  brutal 
turnkey,  the  stolid  guards,  and  the  hard  ruthless  character  of  the 
men  of  Holland  was  all  before  me ;  there  was  no  hope ;  the  Gov 
ernment  feared  no  intervention  from  America,  and  furthermore, 
had  received  from  thence  some  cowardly  denunciations  of  a  piti 
ful  enemy  : — I  would  surely  die,  if  I  did  not  escape. 

I  had  thought  of  leaving  prison  before,  at  a  time  when  it 
would  have  been  easy  to  get  away,  to  get  beyond  the  walls  at  least ; 
but  then,  all  Java  is  a  jail  for  an  European,  unless  there  is  some 
friendly  ship  ready  to  take  him  away ;  and  there  were  few  cap 
tains  willing  to  run  the  risk  of  imprisonment  and  a  fine  of  ten 
thousand  rupees,  for  taking  any  one  away  from  Batavia  without 
a  passport.  I  could  not  hope  to  find  a  ship  ready  to  sail,  when  I 
was  prepared  to  leave,  and  so  had  planned  to  have  a  certain  means 
in  readiness,  to  aid  me  in  my  flight,  when  it  became  necessary  to 

g°- 

I  had  become  intimate  with  one  of  the  translators  of  the 

Court  of  Justice,  a  man  of  much  talent,  and  pleasant  conversa 
tion,  who  became  a  frequent  visitor  in  prison.  I  began  to  place 
confidence  in  him,  placed  in  his  hands  a  large  portion  of  the  pro- 


THE    TRAITOROUS    AND    FRAUDULENT    TRANSLATOR.  481 

ceeds  of  my  machine  making ;  and  he  was  to  purchase  a  small 
swift-sailing  prahu  to  be  left  in  charge  of  a  native  in  my  confidence ; 
this  prahu  was  to  cruise  along  the  coast,  apparently  engaged  in 
fishing,  and  to  be  ready  at  any  point  I  should  name;  when  I 
should  be  ready  to  leave..  But  I  had  trusted  to  a  traitor, 
who  had  a  hand  with  Storm  in  making  spurious  documents  and 
many  false  things.  My  funds  were  applied  to  other  purposes; 
I  lost  them  and  other  trusts  confided  to  the  hands  of  that  trans 
lator  of  the  court  of  Justice  of  Batavia. 

There  was  another  visitor,  a  singular  character,  a  reputed  ex 
iled  count  of  Russia ;  his  father,  a  wealthy  boyard ;  a  sister,  com 
panion  of  the  princess  Dolgorouky ;  and  he  had  been  obliged  to 
flee  in  consequence  of  some  wrong  to  a  lady  of  the  court  of  St. 
Petersburg.  A  relative  at  the  Hague  had  furnished  him  the 
means  to  go  to  the  East  Indies ;  the  usual  field  selected  for  the 
expenditure  of  the  exuberant  vice  and  energy  of  the  youth  of 
Europe.  He  came  to  see  me,  became  interested  in  my  fate; 
and  as  he  showed  many  bold  and  generous  qualities,  won  my  con 
fidence,  and  another  investment  of  my  funds. 

He  was,  for  a  time,  a  protege"  of  the  Resident  of  Batavia; 
he  had  the  run  of  the  city,  without  fear  of  being  called  up  at  the 
Stadhuis :  he  used  government  servants,  and  government  horses 
at  his  will ;  and  after  a  time  took  a  fancy  to  make  use  of  a  small 
government  cruiser,  one  of  the  gun  prahus  for  the  revenue  ser 
vice  ; — this  was  done  in  my  interest ;  to  take  a  survey  of  all  the 
creeks  and  bays  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  roads ;  to  find  a  sure 
place  for  a  rendezvous ;  and  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  rescue  of 
another,  when  I  myself  should  get  out.  He  cruised  thus  freely 
with  a  government  boat,  till  a  note  was  intercepted ;  he  was  to  be 
arrested ;  he  ran  the  cruiser  upon  Onrust  Island,  drowned  seven 

21 


482  PRISON    OF    WELTEVREPrv. 

of  his  crew,  and  escaped   to   Singapore  with  the  connivance  of  a 
high  functionary  at  Batavia. 

At  Singapore  he  joined  my  second  mate ;  communicated  with 
me ;  and  I  was  led  to  forward  money ;  nearly  all  of  my  prison 
earnings,  to  purchase  a  small  cutter.  A  craft  of  forty  tons,  witli 
a  crew  of  twelve  men,  mostly  Spaniards,  was  soon  under  his  com 
mand.  He  went  to  Liugen,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Soonsang,  to 
Banca ;  and  then  to  points  on  the  coast  of  Java,  according  to  my 
direction ;  he  ran  into  a  creek  near  Cramat,  and  communicated 
with  a  friend  in  Batavia;  he  was  discovered  by  a  Dutch  cruiser, 
was  chased,  got  away;  and  when  last  I  heard  of  him,  tho  day 
after  the  sentinel  had  been  placed  at  my  door,  he  had  been  seen 
from  the  telegraph  station,  standing  off  and  on,  near  the  point  of 
Ontong  Java,  and  a  cruiser  had  been  sent  in  pursuit  of  the  bold 
Russian  count. 

There  was  no  hope  of  help  at  this  hour  of  need  from  that 
quarter :  fearful  rumors  came  to  my  ears,  from  turnkey  and 
sentinel ;  the  fate  of  Wongso  rose  up  before  me ;  and  I  felt  that 
no  philosophy  or  spirit  of  resignation  of  mine  could  ever  consent 
to  that ;  any  desperate  measures,  even  a  frenzied,  hopeless  run  in 
daylight,  a  run-armuck  indeed,  rather  than  that;  but  whatever  was 
to  be  done,  must  be  done  quickly ;  any  moment  might  bring  the 
decree  of  death,  and  then  I  would  at  once  be  fastenel  in  the  con 
demned  cell.  Where  were  my  friends,  my  faithful  Javanese 
friend.-,  find  the  faithful  Pirez  ?  the  gates  were  shut  upon  them, 
although  I  know  it  not :  the  prospect  looked  dark  ami  desperate; 
when  a  ray  of  hope  burst  in, — the  presence  of  my  friends  here, — 
the  Captain  and  the  Boatswain. 

Breakers  ahead  there,  said  the  Boatswain,  interrupting; — 
heard  it  was  a  bad  case  with  the  Captain ;  and  thought  I  would 


AMERICAN    FEELING    UNDER    DIFFICULTIES.  483 

ask  leave  to  go  and  see  a  dying  countryman.  By  gracious  king,  I 
never  meant  to  look  at  a  dying  codfish,  much  less  a  countryman  in 
the  hands  of  a  Dutchman :  I  went  to  see  how  to  scatter  those  bricks 
that  your  machine  had  been  piling  up  about  the  jail;  never 
went  to  preach  any  sermon,  or  any  talk  of  give-up  of  any  kind. 
Our  friend  looked  a  bit  worried ;  observed  the  Boatswain,  turning 
to  the  ladies ;  and  it  was  time  to  be  getting  up  some  sort  of 
anxiety :  I  had  heard  every  where  about  Batavia,  that  the  Gov 
ernment  never  meant  to  let  him  out  alive ;  he  had  made  himself 
too  agreeable  to  the  yellow  skins;  and  old  Dutchy  thought  he 
might  wake  up  some  morning,  and  see  the  skipper  of  the  Flirt 
riding  through  the  streets  of  Batavia  on  top  of  an  elephant, 
with  a  hundred  thousand  or  so,  of  Malay  run-a-mucks  in  his 
wake ;  so  he  thought  it  best  to  put  those  dreams  out  of  his  head, 
by  giving  the  neck  of  the  Captain  a  twist.  But  he  said  he  did  not 
mean  to  wait  for  that  experience  of  Dutch  justice  in  the  East  In 
dies  ;  he  thought  he  had  seen  enough,  and  had  waited  long  enough  ; 
and  was  bound  to  get  out ;  and  if  his  heels  couldn't  save  him  to 
die  a  kicking  with  his  neck  clear  at  least  That  was  the  talk  I 
wanted  to  hear  :  The  "  old  man,"  who  was  along,  told  him,  there 
was  a  berth  on  board  the  Palmer  for  him  ;  she  was  all  repaired, 
ready  for  sea ;  would  lay  in  the  outer  Roads,  waiting  for  him ;  but 
he  must  get  out  of  the  walls  himself;  and  I,  and  the  mate,  and 
whole  crew  of  the  Palmer,  were  to  be  ready  with  the  long-boat 
to  take  him  on  board.  I  hated  to  leave  him  then  in  prison,  but 
could  do  nothing ;  he  had  to  get  help  on  shore  to  get  out ;  but  we 
kept  a  sharp  look  out, — myself  and  mate,  and  the  crew;  forty  two 
of  'em,  I  had  every  night  in  that  long-boat ;  all  armed  from  the 
boots  up  to  the  coat  collar ;  and  as  crooked  a  lot  to  handle  of 
tough,  good  fellows,  as  ever  sailed  out  of  the  port  of  New  York ; — 
every  man  full  charged  with  fight,  and  ready  to  make  a  rush  on 


484  PRISON  OF  WELTEVREDEN. 

the  jail ;  which,  by  gracious  king,  I  meant  to  do,  if  they  got 
you  into  the  close  jug.  Now  let's  have  the  full  yarn  how  you 
got  out,  which  I  have  been  getting  along  in  bits. 

I  had  studied  well  the  topography  of  the  prison ;  and  all  the 
chances  of  a  night  evasion, — of  getting  over  its  walls;  and  all 
seemed  hopeless  :  a  round  of  sentinels,  and  a  broad  ditch,  guard 
ed  every  outer  wall ;  sentinels  were  in  each  court,  and  especially 
on  the  alert  at  night ;  and  then  there  was  risk  of  being  challenged 
at  all  points  by  the  numerous  police,  that  swarm  in  the  streets  of 
Batavia  after  dark.  I  needed  a  horse  to  take  me  swiftly  to  the 
boat-landing ; — my  counsellor  agreed  to  come  with  one,  his  heart 
failed  him,  and  the  arrangements  failed  for  that  night ;  another 
one  agreed  to  come  ;  and  he  also  failed ;  the  prospect  was  darker 
than  ever,  notwithstanding  the  assurance  that  my  friends  of  the 
Palmer  were  waiting  for  me  every  night  with  a  boat  and  stout 
<Tf\v  ;  all  the  sure  means  and  friends  I  had  counted  upon,  failed  ; 
and  the  chances  of  escape  grew  more  desperate  than  before. 

It  was  rumored  that  the  decree  of  death  was  issued,  and  prob 
ably  was  in  the  hands  of  Brower ;  the  next  day,  there  would  no 
longer  be  any  hope.  After  the  sun  had  set,  I  made  prepara 
tion  to  leave.  There  were  two  bars  in  my  rear  window,  which  I 
had  weakened  by  many  well-concealed  drillings  and  cuttings, — 
made  during  the  unobserved  leisure  of  less  perilous  times,  when 
making  preparation  for  some  possible  future  need ;  which  I  could 
easily  remove  now.  When  out,  I  would  have  to  pass  the  door  of 
the  room  of  the  crazy  lady,  and  run  the  risk  of  raising  a  cry  from 
her ;  and  then  the  door  of  the  turnkey ;  with  the  risk  of  rousing 
his  ever  watchful  dog ; — if  safely  passing  these  without  disturb 
ance,  I  had  to  cross  an  outer  wall,  on  the  side  of  the  great  canal ; 
and  then  I  could  not  hope  to  clear  that  without  drawing  upon 


FAITHFUL  JAVANESE:  FAITHFUL  AFRICAN.  485 

me  the  attention  of  the  sentinel ;  but  there  was  the  deep-shaded 
park,  behind  the  palace  for  a  refuge ;  and  after  running  the  risk 
of  a  shot,  I  then  had  a  clear  run  before  me  of  four  miles,  to 
reach  the  boat. 

I  had  taken  a  look  at  the  sentinel  in  front,  under  the  ketapan 
tree :  he  was  indulging  in  a  forbidden  pipe,  and  a  gaze  at  the 
moon.  I  was  at  work  upon  the  rear  bars :  I  heard  a  sliding  sound 
upon  the  outer  wall,  and  a  slight  thump  on  the  ground ;  there 
was  a  dark  object,  moving  under  the  shadow  of  the  wall  inside ; 
it  crossed  the  court  stealthily,  and  came  near  my  window ;  and 
then  I  could  distinguish  the  rude  outline  of  brave,  faithful  Pirez. 

My  joy  to  see  him  was  hardly  so  great  as  my  surprise.  He 
soon  had  his  feet  in  the  crevices  of  the  wall,  and  holding  on  to 
the  bars  of  my  window,  told  me  as  follows,  in  that  wild  jargon, 
so  incomprehensible  to  the  Court  of  Justice  of  Batavia,  which 
if  understood,  would  have  told  rather  too  strongly  in  my  favor. 
He  had  been  locked  up  at  a  police  station ;  no  doubt,  immediate 
ly  after  the  resolve  upon  severe  measures  towards  me ;  he  could 
not  come  to  me,  he  could  not  send ;  and  had  been  in  despair 
about  his  master.  People  came  into  the  yard  of  the  police  sta 
tion  to  speak  with  friends  fastened  up  for  a  day  or  two ; — he  could 
speak  with  them ;  but  there  was  no  one  could  tell  him  any  thing. 
This  morning  he  saw  a  young  peddler  woman,  with  filigree  of 
silver  work  from  Palembang  to  sell ;  the  good  face  that  his  cap 
tain  knew;  who  was  no  longer  afraid  of  Pirez  because  he  was 
ugly;  but  was  kind  like  a  good  Christian  lady,  San  Antonio  bless 
her  :  she  put  her  finger  to  her  lips ;  Pirez  looked  only  at  the  things 
to  sell:  he  handled  the  silver  filigree,  whilst  the  good  peddler 
said;  Pirez,  help  master;  papa  Wirojoyo  sampan  sunggee  An- 
chol,  prahu  Pulo  Edam. 

Faithful    Javanese   hearts   needed  no    message,  no  advices. 


486  PRISON    OF    WELTEVBEDEIC. 

The  prahu  of  the  old  demang  was  then  lying  off  that  little  island 
on  the  border  of  the  outer  roadstead,  which  contains  some  curi 
ous  haunted  ruins;  relics  of  the  old  Dutch  company;  and  his 
little  boat  was  waiting  for  me  that  night,  at  a  rendezvous  on  An- 
chol  Creek.  I  was  prepared  for  any  act  of  generous  devotion 
from  the  brave  daughter ;  but  had  not  expected  such  risk  of  per 
son  and  property  from  the  timid  old  Javanese  father.  Pirez  was 
then  told,  where  he  could  easily  leap  a  back  wall  of  the  police  sta 
tion,  to  get  out  that  night ;  and  trust  to  the  Great  Helper,  and 
his  own  stout  heart  and  limbs,  to  join  me,  in  Weltevreden,  and 
help  me  out.  My  Javanese  friends  had  some  strange  ideas  about 
this  poor  fellow,  that  he  was  a  kind  of  djin,  which  I  had  confined 
to  earth,  and  mortal  labor ;  and  could  make  him  help  me  in  mo 
ments  of  extreme  necessity :  they  firmly  believed  that  Pirez  could 
jump  out  of  one  prison  and  get  into  another,  whenever  it  was 
absolutely  necessary  that  he  should  do  so  in  my  behalf;  and  that 
faith  has  no  doubt  been  fully  confirmed,  in  the  mind  of  Wirojoyo 
at  least,  by  the  exploits  of  my  follower. 

Pirez  was  not  locked  up  in  his  room ;  and  he  who  could  out 
run  a  monkey  up  the  straight  stem  of  a  palm-tree,  was  quickly 
over  the  police  station  walls ;  he  passed  the  house  of  my  noble 
young  friend ;  he  startled  him  in  his  bed,  without  having  roused 
any  one  else  in  the  house.  Few  words  were  needed  to  explain 
what  he  was  about :  much  was  said,  which  Pirez  could  not  under 
stand,  who  continued  to  reiterate  my  name  and  that  of  the  prison ; 
but  after  some  parley  he  received  a  note,  some  money,  and  certain 
things  from  my  friend ;  which  he  began  to  remove  from  his  person, 
after  letting  himself  down  from  my  window.  Under  his  clothes 
wa?  another  suit;  a  loose  hunting  coat,  and  other  garments, 
such  as  worn  by  gentlemen  on  excursions  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  palace  of  the  Governor  General  at  Buitenzorg;  an  officer's 


THE  NOBLE  YOUNG  FRIEND  OF  AMERICANS.        487 

uniform  cap,  some  false  hair,  a  wig  and  moustaches,  a  dye  for 
the  face,  a  dirk,  and  some  money.  The  note  explained,  that  the 
writer  had  not  dared  to  come  near  me,  on  account  of  so  much 
suspicion  resting  upon  him ;  the  court  had  not  decided,  but  would 
the  following  day :  his  relative,  the  judge  of  the  court,  had  told 
him  that  Brower  would  hold  the  decree  four  and  twenty  hours, 
before  serving  it  at  the  prison ;  the  good-hearted  sheriff  believing 
that  my  friends  were  taking  measures  for  my  escape :  the  boat  of 
the  Palmer  had  come  regularly  every  night ;  and  would  come 
twice  more ; — after  that,  she  must  sail ;  my  chance  was  this  night ; 
(the  writer  supposed  that  this  note  would  be  delivered  the  fol 
lowing  morning;) — a  little  after  sunset,  when  the  guard  was 
about  to  be  relieved,  and  just  before  placing  a  sentinel  at  my 
door ;  a  friend  would  enter  the  court ;  and  then  I  must  trust  to 
my  own  ingenuity  and  good  fortune  to  find  a  chance  to  walk 
out  with  him. 

From  some  other  remarks  it  was  evident,  that  the  writer  had 
not  supposed  that  Pirez  was  going  that  night  with  the  intention 
of  breaking  into  prison,  and  of  getting  me  out ;  but  had  supposed 
that  he  would  come  to  see  me  in  a  regular  way  the  next  morning : 
it  was  indeed  a  difficult  matter  to  understand  the  faithful  fellow's 
dialect  of  uncouth  sounds ;  and  perhaps  because  I  had  succeeded 
so  well  in  understanding,  that  he  was  there  ready  to  carry  me  out 
forthwith  upon  his  back,  to  scale  walls,  to  fight  the  guard ;  and 
swim  to  the  Palmer  if  necessary. 

He  was  grieved  to  hear  me  say,  that  I  would  stay  in  prison 
that  night ;  but  a  few  words  soon  persuaded  him  that  it  was  best. 
I  had  a  while  ago  resolved  to  try ;  because  it  seemed  too  great 
risk  to  defer ;  but  the  next  day  the  chances  would  be  better.  At 
this  hour  the  boat  of  the  Palmer  would  be  gone, — no  longer  ex 
pecting  my  coming.  He  must  return  as  he  came ;  take  some 


488  PRISON    OF    WELTEVUEDEN. 

messages  to  iny  friends  this  night,  and  then  get  off  with  some 
boat  before  morning,  on  board  the  Palmer. 

Pircz  retreated  with  tiger  stealth  across  the  yard.  I  could 
dimly  see  his  shadowy  form  approach  a  piece  of  new  wall,  near  a 
building  then  designed  for  the  insane.  This  portion  was  not 
quite  finished,  and  easy  to  be  scaled  by  such  as  Pircz,  at  least. 

The  dark  form  is  ascending  the  wall ;  but  no  movement  to  be 
observed ;  mounting  with  invisible  rise  like  the  moon.  It  is  on 
the  wall :  the  head  cranes  over ;  it  is  disappearing ;  there  is  a 
rumble  of  something  falling  from  the  wall ;  a  loud  challenge ;  a 
rush  of  feet ;  bang !  a  musket  fire ;  a  heavy  thump ;  a  cry  and 
groan ;  a  clatter  of  a  bayonet  upon  stones ;  and  the  last  sounds 
heard  were  fast-running  feet,  soon  lost  in  the  park  behind  the 
palace,  long  ere  the  alarmed  guard  of  the  prison  had  turned  out. 

I  learned  the  next  morning  from  the  turnkey,  that  a  sentinel 
had  been  found  at  his  post,  lying  bleeding  and  senseless ;  struck 
on  the  head  with  a  brick.  When  recovered  a  little,  he  swore 
that  a  great  black  fiend,  like  an  enormous  bat  with  wings,  had 
leaped  down  upon  him  from  the  top  of  the  new  mad-house.  He 
could  give  no  better  account ;  stuck  to  it  that  it  was  no  mortal ; 
had  just  swept  by  him  and  he  fell  after  firing,  without  knowing 
what  hurt  him.  He  had,  in  fact,  pulled  trigger  in  his  fear  with 
out  taking  aim.  Pirez  has  not  joined  me  as  I  hoped  ;  and  I  am 
often  grieved  to  think  what  accident  could  have  befallen  the 
faithful  steward  of  the  Flirt. 

I  have  not  spoken  of  my  other  follower,  and  fellow-prisoner ; 
my  late  navigator  on  board  the  Flirt.  He  had  some  British 
friends  in  the  city ;  although  British  authorities  had  made  no 
interference;  expecting  that  the  government  of  the  flag  under 
which  he  had  been  serving,  was  the  proper  party  to  take  cogni 
zance  of  his  case.  He  had  found  employment  like  myself;  being 


SAFETY  OF  THE  MATE  OF  THE  FLIRT.  489 

very  skilful  with  pencil,  in  mapping  and  drafting ;  though  not  in 
my  more  profitable,  inventive  way ;  and  he  did  not  partake  of 
any  of  my  sympathies  in  regard  to  the  people  of  the  Archipelago ; 
looking  upon  the  entire  race,  as  being  generally,  despite  certain 
good  appearances,  all  after  the  fashion  of  Babdoo  and  Moonchwa ; 
natural  born  traitors,  thieves  and  cut-throats.  These  sentiments 
caused  my  officer  to  be  regarded  in  a  much  more  favorable  light 
by  Dutch  officials ;  also  "  in  consideration  of  his  youth,  and  the  per 
nicious  influences  that  had  been  exercised  over  him,"  as  a  Dutch 
minister  afterwards  said ;  although  there  was  only  the  difference 
of  a  year  and  a  half  in  our  ages.  There  was  no  doubt  that  if  I, 
the  principal,  was  out  of  the  way,  the  Government  would  let  him 
go ;  he  and  his  friends  felt  assured  of  this ;  and  I  was  well 
assured,  from  his  own  mouth,  that  it  was  not  necessary  to  have  any 
anxiety  about  his  safety,  when  it  should  become  necessary  for 
me  to  escape. 

(And  such  has  been  the  case ;  he  having  been  pardoned, 
shortly  after  condemnation ;  and  that  condemnation  was  unques 
tionably  changed  after  the  escape  of  the  commander  from  sen 
tence  of  death,  to  the  one  demanded  by  the  Fiskaal  at  the  trial ;  to 
stand  in  the  pillory ;  and  afterwards  undergo  twelve  years  of  hard 
labor  in  the  mines  of  Banca,  or  at  the  penal  fortress  of  Sooraba- 
yah  5  which  sentence  now  hangs  over  the  head  of  the  unpardoned 
commander  of  the  Flirt,  to  be  put  into  execution,  whenever  he 
can  be  captured  upon  Dutch  territory.) 

A  bright,  still  cloudless  Sabbath  morning  dawned ;  the  24th 
day  of  April,  1853.  It  wore  away  with  moments  of  deep  emo 
tion  with  me  ;  some  emotion  to  think  I  was  looking  for  the  last 
time  upon  walls  that  were  traced  deep  upon  memory,  even  as  I 
had  traced  on  them ;  they  would  soon  be  lost  to  my  sight,  flying 
away  with  the  wings  of  a  ship ;  or  lost  to  sight  within  the  walla 
21* 


490  I'RIKON    OF    WELTEVKEDEN. 

of  my  last  cell.    There  was  some  emotion  in  thinking  of  leaving 
for  ever,  my  prison  pupils, — Conan,  Gedeh  and  others ;  the  visits  of 
Umbah,  the  fruits  and  the  teachings;  and  those  more  earnest 
and  interesting  associations  with  another  pupil,  might  never  be 
repeated  with  such  interest,  as  in  this  prison ; — but  then  there- 
was  home,   liberty,  country ;  and  then  thoughts  rose  up  of  possi 
bly  following  the  footsteps  of  Wongso,  to  that  horrible  field  of 
death ;  oh  !  rather  death  in  warm  blood,  in  a  thousand  other  cruel 
shapes  than  that, 

And  one  came  to  propose  an  evasion  out  of  the  hands  of  the 
hangman,  if  other  chances  failed;  my  good-hearted  friend,  the 
Baron,  had  got  leave  to  see  me  :  he  believed  my  case  to  be  des 
perate,  knowing  nothing  of  my  plans : — safe  enough  he  was  to  be 
trusted ;  but  the  fewer  in  the  secret  of  such  matters,  the  better ; 
he  had  some  propositions  to  make,  but  not  feasible ;  and  I  might 
have  told  him  not  necessary  to  try; — he  had  a  last  resort  for  me 
in  his  pocket ;  one  of  the  subtle  poisons  of  Java,  quick  and  cer 
tain,  and  leaving  no  evidence  of  the  cause.  It  was  not  strange 
for  the  rough  soldier  to  propose  such  a  thing;  it  was  an  act  of 
friendship,  the  same  as  to  aid  in  a  duel ;  but  I  declined  to  retain 
the  poison,  however  desperate  might  be  the  future. 

He  had  a  little  written  message  from  Umbah ;  some  words 
of  sorrow  and  affection  from  the  true-hearted  child,  most  grateful 
to  my  heart,  in  those  troubled  moments.  In  thinking  of  her,  I 
recalled  Bassett  to  mind  :  he  was  then  with  me  :  his  presence  at 
my  heels  would  betray  me ;  he  must  go  with  the  Baron,  whom 
he  often  followed ;  but  now  he  crouched  close  in  a  corner ;  he 
would  not  stir,  and  snarled  at  my  friend,  who  approached  him 
with  caressing  voice  and  action :  he  could  not  be  carried  out ; 
I  must  trust  to  other  chances  during  the  day,  to  prevent  the 
faithful  animal  from  following  my  steps;  but  much  I  regret- 


THE    CRI8I8    OF    ESCAPE.  491 

ted  that  I  could  not  put  on  board  the  Palmer  the  courageous, 
faithful  namesake  of  the  brave  and  generous  friend,  I  hoped  to 
meet  at  home. 

With  words  of  warmest  friendship  I  parted  with  my  honest- 
hearted  late  fellow-prisoner;  words  warmer  than  his;  though 
would  not  have  been,  had  he  known  my  resolve  for  that  evening; — 
and  that  evening  was  near  at  hand ;  the  last  rays  of  a  glorious 
Java  sun  were  streaming  through  the  tops  of  the  almond,  the 
tamarind,  and  the  waringin  trees  before  the  great  gate.  The 
disguise  was  on,  beneath  an  outer  thin  dress,  ready  to  be  thrown 
off  at  a  moment ;  my  long  beard,  well  softened  from  time  to 
time,  to  be  ready  for  the  razor  at  the  last  minute;  the  last 
thing  to  be  done,  when  ready  to  step  forth.  Minutes  are  counted; 
not  many  before  the  guard  would  go  the  rounds ;  and  a  sentinel 
be  placed  at  my  door  for  the  night.  I  had  stained  beneath  my 
eyes,  to  alter  the  expression  of  my  face ;  the  dark,  well-fitting 
wig  covered  my  lighter-colored  hair; — Tutup opens  my  door; — I 
am  in  bed,  concealed  by  a  small  curtain,  affecting  illness  and  surli 
ness  ; — do  not  wish  to  talk ;  and  Tutup,  who  had  sometimes  found 
me  in  silent  moods,  passed  on ;  but  would  return  in  five  minutes 
to  close  my  door,  after  going  tho  round  of  other  rooms.  Conan 
deposits  the  evening  meal ;  the  guard  has  assembled  in  the  arch 
way  ;  twilight,  the  quick  coming  twilight  of  the  tropics  has  set  in  ; 
but  no  friend  is  in  the  court ;  still  I  must  go  now ;  the  beard  is 
off  in  one  minute,  and  false  hair  fastened  on  the  upper  lip ;  the 
outer  garments  are  thrown  off;  my  supper  put  on  the  floor,  for 
poor  little  Bassett, — fastening  him  under  the  bed,  as  he  devours 
the  food.  And  now  all  was  ready ;  I  saw  some  visitors,  coming 
from  other  blocks,  leaving  on  account  of  closing  gates ;  and  I 
stepped  forth  and  marched  straight  for  the  archway  leading  out 
side. 


492  PRISON    OF    WELTEVUEDEN. 

What  moments  were  those.  The  air  was  full  of  dancing 
shapes ; — and  buzzing  sounds  were  in  my  ears  for  a  while ;  only  a 
little  while ; — the  rush  of  fresh  air,  the  sight  of  free  ground  be 
yond  that  gateway.  The  guard  was  drawn  up  in  file,  with  the 
sergeant  at  their  head  ;  just  about  to  start  on  the  rounds.  This 
sergeant  had  seen  me  a  hundred  times ;  but  I,  trusting  to  my 
altered  face,  and  garb,  and  a  well  practised  change  of  gait, 
looked  him  straight  in  the  face ;  and  carelessly  acknowledged  a 
salute  as  I  passed.  I  had  made  one  step,  and  heard  him  wheel 
around.  I  dare  say  he  had  some  doubts  about  the  person  he 
saw  by  that  dim  twilight ;  he  might  bid  me  stop,  and  then  all 
was  lost,  but  the  chances  of  a  desperate  rush  for  the  park ;  or  to 
strive  for  a  death  in  hot  blood,  at  the  hands  of  the  guard ; — there 
was  a  large  cigar  in  my  mouth ;  I  did  not  smoke ;  but  put  there  as 
additional  means  of  concealment ;  I  paused  before  a  soldier  not  on 
duty,  seated  under  the  archway,  smoking  his  pipe ;  I  stooped  for  a 
light ;  puffed  a  moment  with  my  cigar ;  it  seemed  to  draw  bad 
ly  ;  bit  an  end,  muttered,  and  growled  some  Dutch  words ;  it  was 
time  for  the  guard  to  move ;  the  sergeant  wheeled  around  and  faced 
the  court  again ;  the  man  with  the  cigar  must  be  all  right.  With 
what  emotion  I  then  stepped  from  beneath  that  archway ;  I 
passed  the  outer  walls  and  moat ;  and  was  in  the  free  highway  ; 
but  where  was  the  horse  ? — there  is  a  low  sound  in  the  park ;  the 
friend  is  there;  and  the  horse,  a  little  way  off;  and  then  how 
shall  I  tell  how  fast  I  went ;  or  how  I  passed  the  by-lanes  and 
suburbs  of  Batavia  on  the  way  to  the  rendezvous  for  the  boat  of 
the  Palmer. 

It  had  not  come :  it  was  indeed  a  little  before  the  time. 
There  were  moments  of  intense  anxiety  and  of  deep  interest 
in  the  little  wood  near  the  rendezvous ; — friends  were  waiting  to 
see  me ; — there  was  Diporo  Kasumo,  three  stout  Javanese  prahu 


FAREWELL    TO    NOBLE,  FAITHFUL    HEARTS.  493 

men,  and  his  sister.  I  had  a  few  words  alone  with  Sahyeepah ; 
she  was  readily  convinced,  that  it  was  best  that  I  should  go  on 
board  the  ship  of  my  country ;  but  would  I  not  get  on  board  some 
other  one  in  the  Straits  of  Sunda,  and  proceed  to  Singapore  as  I 
intended  to  do  ?  her  father  would  go  there  with  his  prahu,  when 
they  heard  from  me ;  and  we  would  all  meet  again ;  and  if  not 
here,  surely  in  the  bright  city  of  the  Great  Brother. 

The  sound  of  oars  was  heard,  the  dipping  blades  of  the  well- 
manned  boat  of  the  Palmer.  Some  last  warm  words  and  tokens 
of  affection  of  simple,  Javanese  hearts;  and  then  I  heard  the 
voice  of  our  gallant  Boatswain;  what  a  sound  was  that;  and 
what  a  sight,  the  well-armed,  brave  crew,  and  the  home  faces.  I 
feared  no  longer  all  the  garrison  of  "Weltevreden  at  my  heels. 

But  it  was  a  close  rub;  said  the  Boatswain,  interrupting, 
not  a  moment  had  we  to  lose.  All  hands  ready  for  fight, — the 
boys  were  really  primed  for  a  brush, — our  mate  especially  :  I  being 
in  command,  and  having  strict  orders  from  the  Captain,  thought 
it  best  to  wait  for  the  Dutchies  on  board  the  Palmer,  if  they 
were  going  to  come  on.  "We  were  off,  and  dashing  across  that 
still  bay ;  and  not  a  word  till  we  passed  close  by  the  Flirt ;  then 
our  friend  broke  out ;  taking  on  about  his  gallant  little  craft.  I 
believe  he  wanted  to  go  on  board  of  her,  and  persuade  our  men 
to  cut  her  out  from  under  the  guns  of  the  Boreas.  I  had  thought 
of  that  often  afore.  But  there  was  not  the  shadow  of  a  chance, 
and  it  made  my  heart  real  sore  too,  as  we  passed  her,  lying  hard 
and  fast  in  the  roadstead  of  Batavia. 

Yes,  said  the  Commander,  I  felt  a  keen  pain  of  regret  on  pass 
ing  my  stout  little  ship,  that  had  been  such  a  pleasant  home,  on 
many  a  delightful  day's  sail ;  but  my  last  thoughts  were  certainly 
not  with  the  Flirt;  nor  busied  with  schemes  for  cutting  her 
out  • — but  thinking  at  that  moment  of  the  people  I  was  leaving 


494 


PRISON    OF    WELTEVREDEN. 


behind  me,  who  had  30  won  upon  my  sympathies ;  and  one 
more  than  all,  who  could  still  be  dimly  seen  on  the  farthest 
reaching  point  of  the  shore  of  Java ;  and  with  upraised  waving 
hands  seemed  to  say,  Forget  not  me,  and  all  the  words  and  re 
solves  made  about  my  people  in  the  prison  of  Weltevreden, 


The  Palmer  had  her  anchor  apeak ;  her  sails  all  loosened ; 
and  soon  after  the  fugitive  had  received  the  warm  greetings  of  her 
commander  and  the  passengers  on  board, — the  noble  ship  began 
to  move  through  the  waters  of  the  bay.  The  sturdy  boatswain, 
mate  and  crew  were  in  a  high  state  of  excitement ;  they  seemed 
wishful  to  wait  for  pursuit;  the  two  long  twelve-pounders,  the 
ship's  armament,  were  run  out,  all  the  small  arms  were  on  d«-«-l; ; 


FREEDOM,  BLESSED  FREEDOM. 


495 


signal  lights  went  up  from  the  shore ;  the  commander  could  not 
risk  his  vessel  in  any  wild  adventure  of  fight ;  orders  are  given 
to  hoist  every  sail ;  the  breeze  freshens,  and  onward  she  surges. 
There  is  a  flash,  and  the  Boreas  has  fired  a  gun ;  the  men  of  the 
Palmer  are  frantic,  and  her  twelve-pounders  hurl  back  defiance 
to  the  Dutchmen.  But  there  is  success  and  glory  enough ;  better 
now  to  catch  every  breath  of  that  freshening  breeze.  The 
smoke  of  a  pursuing  steamer  is  seen ; — the  Palmer  must  keep  on 
her  way ;  and  the  next  morning  beholds  the  clipper,  as  we  have 
seen;  threading  her  rapid  way  through  the  lovely  isles  of  the 
Straits  of  Sunda;  whilst  the  fugitive, — grateful  to  God  for 
glorious  freedom,  yet  with  sadness  in  his  joy,  turns  a  last  look 
towards  the  Island  of  Java. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
BERKELEY 


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